Use of Medicinal Plants in Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic and progressively worsening condition that is primarily characterized by the loss of synapses and neurons in various regions of the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease has increased due to the growing elderly population. The disease is triggered by a combination of molecular, genetic, and other risk factors. Key molecular contributors include amyloid-beta plaque accumulation and the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins. These pathological changes lead to significant brain alterations, such as atherosclerotic changes, neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques, synaptic and neuronal loss, granulovacuolar degeneration, and cholinergic cell loss. Therefore, the primary approach in AD treatment focuses on inhibiting amyloid-beta accumulation and tau protein hyperphosphorylation. Additionally, stimulation of the cholinergic system is considered a key therapeutic strategy. In the present study, 18 medicinal plants were reviewed based on their potential effects on AD. These plants are valuable drug candidates with various pharmacological properties, including antiplatelet, antioxidant, antidepressant, inhibition of amyloid-beta accumulation, cholinergic system stimulation, and neuroprotective effects, all of which are crucial in AD management. Due to the limited understanding of the disease’s exact causes, phytotherapy is currently used only to decelerate the progression of the disease or provide preventive benefits rather than as a definitive cure.

Keywords

• Alzheimer’s Disease
• phytotherapy
• hippocampus
• plant
• brain

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