Inhibition of formation of amyloid b-protein fibrils using cactus mucilage extracts

A method of slowing progression of Alzheimer's disease in a patient suffering therefrom comprising:

• obtaining plant mucilage extract from Opuntia ficus-indica wherein the plant mucilage extract is gelling extract, non-gelling extract or a combination thereof;
• wherein the gelling extract is formed by steps comprising:
• obtaining cactus pads;
• dicing and boiling the cactus pads;
• liquidizing the cactus pads and adding a base to neutralize the liquidized cactus pads;
• centrifuging the liquidized cactus pads into a liquid fraction and a solid precipitate;
• collecting the solid precipitate;
• adding sodium hexametaphosphate to the solid precipitate and mixing;
• filtering the solid precipitate;
• resuspending the solid precipitate in deionized water to form a suspension;
• lowering the pH of the suspension;
• precipitating a mucilage precipitate from the suspension;
• resuspending the mucilage precipitate with water and adjusting the pH until the mucilage precipitate dissolves;
• and
• filtering the dissolved mucilage precipitate to form the gelling extract;
• wherein the non-gelling extract is formed by steps comprising:
• obtaining cactus pads;
• dicing and boiling the cactus pads;
• liquidizing the cactus pads and adding a base to neutralize the liquidized cactus pads;
• centrifuging the liquidized cactus pads into a liquid fraction and a solid precipitate;
• collecting the liquid fraction;
• adding sodium chloride to the liquid fraction and mixing;
• filtering the liquid fraction to form a filtrate;
• adding acetone or isopropanol to the filtrate to form a mucilage precipitate;
• washing the precipitate;
• and
• drying the precipitate to form the non-gelling extract;
• and
• administering a therapeutically effective amount of the plant mucilage extract to the patient;
• wherein administration of the plant mucilage extract disrupts formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) fibrils and aggregation of the Aβ fibrils into plaques to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease in the patient.