Scientists have found a compound in a common vegetable that could provide a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

Beetroots could be the key to slowing down the progression of the life-shortening disease, new research shows.

In tests betanin, which gives beetroot its distinctive red colour, suppressed chemical changes linked to the death of neurons.

Scientists envisage drugs based on the compound that slow down the devastating progression of Alzheimer's.

Professor Li-June Ming, from the University of South Florida, US, said: "This is just a first step, but we hope that our findings will encourage other scientists to look for structures similar to betanin that could be used to synthesise drugs that could make life a bit easier for those who suffer from this disease."

A key hallmark of Alzheimer's found in the brains of sufferers is sticky deposits of a protein building block, or peptide, called beta-amyloid.

This in turn promotes inflammation and oxidation, leading to the "rusting" and death of nerve cells.

In the laboratory, betanin added to a copper-bound beta-amyloid mixture reduced a measure of oxidation by 90 per cent.

The dramatic result suggested that misfolding of the peptide was being suppressed.

The findings were presented at the 255th national meeting of the American Chemical society in New Orleans.