According to a study, dark chocolate can decrease brain injury subsequent to a stroke.

Scientists have learnt that a compound dubbed epicatechin, usually found in dark chocolate, guards the brain against strokes by protecting nerve cells.

Their results were based on experiments in mice and they expect that the outcomes can be duplicated in human beings.

The U. S. researchers gave the mice a dosage of epicatechin, a flavanol, and then after 90 minutes, stimulated a stroke in the creatures by disconnecting the blood supply to their brains.

They discovered that the mice, which had consumed the epicatechin suffered 'significantly less' brain injury than those who had not.

The canvassers, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, also found that epicatechin had a defensive effect when given to mice after they had suffered a stroke.

In fact, it was a better treatment than present drugs given to human stroke victims.

Researchers from America's Johns Hopkins University say that the results could be significant in the probable treatment of strokes.

Associate Professor, Sylvain Doré said, “Animals that had preventively ingested the epicatechin suffered significantly less brain damage than the ones that had not been given the compound”.