Pharmacological exploration of traditional plants for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is clinically characterized as memory deficits, altered behavior and impaired cognitive functions. The most important risk factor for AD is aging and mounting. Evidences suggested in different studies that traditionally used plants in Asia, China, and Europe significantly affect aging and AD involved neurodegeneration pathways. Research into ethnobotanicals for impaired memory and cognition has been burgeoned in last decades. The inclusion and exclusion criteria for the plant selection were based on reputed herbs recommended for treatment of neurological disorders and their scientific validation to cure neurodegenerative disorders. A range of traditional plants imparts effects via acetylcholinesterase activity, β-amyloid peptide formation in plaques, neurotrophic factors and through antioxidant activity. On one side preclinical investigations identified promising drug candidates for AD, on the other side, clinical evidences are still pending. Presently, according to WHO, around more than 80% world population relay on natural remedies to cure their health related issues. Plants contain rich source of primary and secondary metabolites for improving health problems. Pharmaceutical industry is facing intriguing challenges like elevated cost and unendurable risk management due to the high burden of neurodegenerative disorders. A significant shift of drug discovery is being witnessed from synthetic moieties to herbal formulation.

Possible Mechanisms Underlying the Antispasmodic, Bronchodilator, and Antidiarrheal Activities of Polarity–Based Extracts of Cucumis sativus L. Seeds in In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Studies

“…Herbal therapy has been globally recognized as a safe and effective approach for treating a wide range of chronic disorders. Consumption of non-nutrient secondary metabolites [ 37 ] from a high vegetable, fruit, and grain diet can prevent chronic illnesses [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. Within this context, local healers and practitioners have long used Cucumis sativus L. seeds to treat various diseases [ 11 , 16 , 25 , 41 ].…”

Pharmacological Properties and Health Benefits of Eugenol: A Comprehensive Review

“…Neurological disorders include a number of conditions whose inception results from subsequent degradation of normal function and morphology of neurons, mainly in the CNS [ 139 ]. Globally, 20 million people are suffering from only these three disorders [ 140 ]. Neural disorders have been ranked by the WHO as the second (12%) most reason of mortalities worldwide.…”

“…Neuronal degeneration in the CNS involves various mechanisms including apoptosis, protein accumulation, ageing, and oxidative stress, which are contributing to neurodegenerative disorders ( Figure 5 ). The most common among these is the aggregation of misfolded proteins, which display amyloid characteristic (formation of β -pleated sheets), calling this group of illness called as brain amyloidosis [ 140 ].…”

Uncovering the pharmacology of Ginkgo biloba folium in the cell-type-specific targets of Parkinson’s disease

“…Natural herbal medicines like extracts from Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) have shed light on drug development for PD. Herbal products have gradually gained acceptance in treating neurodegenerative diseases for their multi-functional characteristic with relatively fewer adverse effects ( Wahid et al, 2020 ; Gregory et al, 2021 ; Wang et al, 2021 ). Herbal medicines have been applied to treat PD ( Chen et al, 2022 ; Sharma et al, 2022 ; Zahedipour et al, 2022 ), and GBE has proven efficacy.…”