Evolving Role of Natural Products from Traditional Medicinal Herbs in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

ACS Chem Neurosci. 2021 Aug 4;12(15):2718-2728. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00206. Epub 2021 May 19.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia by impairing mental capacity growth and disrupting neurocognitive activity. Despite recent advancements in AD therapy, therapeutic effectiveness has been small, noncurative, and susceptible to drug resistance. The reality that AD's origin remains unknown and that the blood-brain barrier limits treatment effectiveness are two significant impediments to science. Plants are repositories for novel chemical entities, which provide an exciting avenue for Alzheimer's disease studies. Although several herbal remedies are unquestionably efficient, only a small number have been clinically tested for their active chemical constituents and biological activities. Using published data in the literature, we summarized commonly used medicinal plants and herbs and their phyto components for the care and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease as an alternative therapy. In this, we summarize the main compounds found in 30 different herbal medicines that target neurodegenerative diseases. Using the experimental study of physicochemical properties, we put forward a hypothesis about potential medicinal plants and the management of Alzheimer's disease. The summary analysis demonstrates that conventional herbal medicines produce compounds with physicochemical properties with a high degree of similarities with existing approved medicines.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; complementary and alternative medicine; dementia; medicinal plants; memory.

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / drug therapy
  • Biological Products* / therapeutic use
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases*
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plants, Medicinal*

Substances

  • Biological Products