Drugs derived from chocolate? Candy-maker Mars in talks.

mongabay.com ^ | July 25, 2005 | Wikipedia, Reuters, and Mars, Incorporated.

[bookworm100]

Mars, Incorporated, the privately held U.S. company company that produces M&Ms, Twix, Snickers and other confectionaries is in talks with several large pharmaceutical companies to develop medications based on flavanols -- plant chemicals with health benefits found in cocoa, according to a report from Reuters.

Flavonoids are naturally-occurring compounds found in plant-based foods that have been shown to have a number of health-benefiting properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-cancer activity. Cocoa, especially dark chocolate, has high amounts of the flavonoid Epicatechin and has been found to have nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea. Epicatechin may improve blood flow and may have potential applications for cardiac health. Two recent clinical trials have found that cocoa flavanols can boost the flow of blood to key areas of the brain, giving scientists hope for developing treatments for dementia and strokes. Another study found potential applications for treating blood circulation problems associated with long-term diabetes...

[AppyPappy]

Potter geeks knew this already.

[Ron in Acreage]

I feel better already!

[Just mythoughts]

WOW, I can't believe it has taken this long to figure this out. Guess they have been spending all their time in the "rain forest" hunting the life saving plants McDonald's has been slashing and burning for their cheap beef.