Title:Natural Products as Promising Drug Candidates for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Molecular Mechanism Aspect
Volume: 11
Issue: 4
Author(s): Niloufar Ansari and Fariba Khodagholi
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, Amyloid β, Apoptosis, Natural products, Neuroprotection, Tau protein.
Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder to date, with no curative or
preventive therapy. Histopathological hallmarks of AD include deposition of β-amyloid plaques and formation of
neurofibrillary tangles. Extent studies on pathology of the disease have made important discoveries regarding mechanism
of disease and potential therapeutic targets. Many cellular changes including oxidative stress, disruption of Ca2+
homeostasis, inflammation, metabolic disturbances, and accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins can lead to
programmed cell death in AD. Despite intensive research, only five approved drugs are available for the management of
AD. Hence, there is a need to look at alternative therapies. Use of natural products and culinary herbs in medicine has
gained popularity in recent years. Several natural substances with neuroprotective effects have been widely studied. Most
of these compounds have remarkable antioxidant properties and act mainly by scavenging free radical species. Some of
them increase cell survival and improve cognition by directly affecting amyloidogenesis and programmed cell death
pathways. Further studies on these natural products and their mechanism of action, parallel with the use of novel
pharmaceutical drug design and delivery techniques, enable us to offer an addition to conventional medicine. This review
discussed some natural products with potential neuroprotective properties against Aβ with respect to their mechanism of
action.
