Natural Products for Neurocognitive Disorders

Abstract

Neurocognitive disorders are devastating. In 2016, 43.8 million people were estimated to have Alzheimer' s disease worldwide. By 2050, this figure is expected to rise by 56%. Despite the extreme importance of the disease, the weapons available to us to combat it are very scarce. Natural substances may be a worthwhile option for the treatment and management of neurocognitive disorders. Some of these natural products have been shown to be capable of positively impacting memory, behavior, and functions of patients with Alzheimer' s disease. These substances act on the disease mainly through antioxidant properties, the ability to eliminate oxygen radicals, the capacity to influence cell survival and programmed cell death, and the potential to condition amyloidogenesis. This chapter provides an overview of our current knowledge on the potential of natural products to be effective neuroprotective agents for Alzheimer' s disease. Current evidence on Ginkgo biloba, bacopia, resveratol, curcumin, quercetin, kaempferol, capsaicin, and berberine, along with their adverse effects and drug interactions are discussed.

Modulating Effects of Zingiberaceae Phenolic Compounds on Neurotrophic Factors and Their Potential as Neuroprotectants in Brain Disorders and Age-Associated Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Review

“…It is also worth noting that the pharmacological and toxicological effects of curcumin are dose-dependent, and high doses may produce toxic and carcinogenic effects [306] as well as pro-oxidant effects [307]. Other reported side effects include mild nausea and diarrhea, and it can chelate iron and suppress hepcidin, leading to subclinical iron deficiency [308,309]. Additionally, a study using human hepatoma G2 cells found that curcumin had no mutagenic effect at a low concentration of 2.5 µg/mL, but it caused DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner at higher concentrations (10-40 µg/mL) [13].…”