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Tripathi PN, Lodhi A, Rai SN, Nandi NK, Dumoga S, Yadav P, Tiwari AK, Singh SK, El-Shorbagi ANA, Chaudhary S. Review of Pharmacotherapeutic Targets in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Management Using Traditional Medicinal Plants. Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis 2024; 14:47-74. [PMID: 38784601 PMCID: PMC11114142 DOI: 10.2147/dnnd.s452009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, memory loss, and impaired daily functioning. While there is currently no cure for AD, several pharmacotherapeutic targets and management strategies have been explored. Additionally, traditional medicinal plants have gained attention for their potential role in AD management. Pharmacotherapeutic targets in AD include amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and cholinergic dysfunction. Traditional medicinal plants, such as Ginkgo biloba, Huperzia serrata, Curcuma longa (turmeric), and Panax ginseng, have demonstrated the ability to modulate these targets through their bioactive compounds. Ginkgo biloba, for instance, contains flavonoids and terpenoids that exhibit neuroprotective effects by reducing Aβ deposition and enhancing cerebral blood flow. Huperzia serrata, a natural source of huperzine A, has acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting properties, thus improving cholinergic function. Curcuma longa, enriched with curcumin, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, potentially mitigating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Panax ginseng's ginsenosides have shown neuroprotective and anti-amyloidogenic properties. The investigation of traditional medicinal plants as a complementary approach to AD management offers several advantages, including a lower risk of adverse effects and potential multi-target interactions. Furthermore, the cultural knowledge and utilization of these plants provide a rich source of information for the development of new therapies. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms of action, standardize preparations, and assess the safety and efficacy of these natural remedies. Integrating traditional medicinal-plant-based therapies with modern pharmacotherapies may hold the key to a more comprehensive and effective approach to AD treatment. This review aims to explore the pharmacotherapeutic targets in AD and assess the potential of traditional medicinal plants in its management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhash Nath Tripathi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ankit Lodhi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sachchida Nand Rai
- Center of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nilay Kumar Nandi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shweta Dumoga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pooja Yadav
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Amit Kumar Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Santosh Kumar Singh
- Center of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Abdel-Nasser A El-Shorbagi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sachin Chaudhary
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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Wang B, Geng L, Wang J, Wei Y, Yan C, Wu N, Yue Y, Zhang Q. Optimization of the Preparation Process of Glucuronomannan Oligosaccharides and Their Effects on the Gut Microbiota in MPTP-Induced PD Model Mice. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:193. [PMID: 38786584 PMCID: PMC11123026 DOI: 10.3390/md22050193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, and accumulating evidence suggests a link between dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and the onset and progression of PD. In our previous investigations, we discovered that intraperitoneal administration of glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (GMn) derived from Saccharina japonica exhibited neuroprotective effects in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD mouse model. However, the complicated preparation process, difficulties in isolation, and remarkably low yield have constrained further exploration of GMn. In this study, we optimized the degradation conditions in the preparation process of GMn through orthogonal experiments. Subsequently, an MPTP-induced PD model was established, followed by oral administration of GMn. Through a stepwise optimization, we successfully increased the yield of GMn, separated from crude fucoidan, from 1~2/10,000 to 4~8/1000 and indicated the effects on the amelioration of MPTP-induced motor deficits, preservation of dopamine neurons, and elevation in striatal neurotransmitter levels. Importantly, GMn mitigated gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by MPTP in mice. In particular, GM2 significantly reduced the levels of Akkermansia, Verrucomicrobiota, and Lactobacillus, while promoting the abundance of Roseburia and Prevotella compared to the model group. These findings suggest that GM2 can potentially suppress PD by modulating the gut microbiota, providing a foundation for the development of a novel and effective anti-PD marine drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoxiang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (B.W.); (Y.W.)
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Lihua Geng
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Jing Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuxi Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (B.W.); (Y.W.)
| | - Changhui Yan
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Optic-Electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, MOE, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Ning Wu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yang Yue
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Quanbin Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (J.W.); (C.Y.); (N.W.); (Y.Y.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
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Liu S, Wang M, Xiao H, Ye J, Cao L, Li W, Sun G. Advancements in research on the effects of panax notoginseng saponin constituents in ameliorating learning and memory disorders. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28581. [PMID: 38586351 PMCID: PMC10998096 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Learning and memory disorder is a cluster of symptoms caused by neuronal aging and other diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are a series of saponins derived from the natural active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that have neuroprotective effects on the central nervous system. In this paper, we review the ameliorative effects and mechanisms of Panax notoginseng saponin-like components on learning and memory disorders to provide valuable references and insights for the development of new drugs for the treatment of learning and memory disorders. Our summary results suggest that Panax ginseng saponins have significant effects on improving learning and memory disorders, and these effects and potential mechanisms are mediated by their anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, β-amyloid lowering, mitochondrial homeostasis in vivo, neuronal structure and function improving, neurogenesis promoting, neurotransmitter release regulating, and probiotic homeostasis in vivo activities. These findings suggest the potential of Panax notoginseng saponin-like constituents as drug candidates for improving learning and memory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusen Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
- School of Pharmacy, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, 150076, China
| | - Min Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Haiyan Xiao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jingxue Ye
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Li Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wenlan Li
- School of Pharmacy, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, 150076, China
| | - Guibo Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
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Ayaz M, Mosa OF, Nawaz A, Hamdoon AAE, Elkhalifa MEM, Sadiq A, Ullah F, Ahmed A, Kabra A, Khan H, Murthy HCA. Neuroprotective potentials of Lead phytochemicals against Alzheimer's disease with focus on oxidative stress-mediated signaling pathways: Pharmacokinetic challenges, target specificity, clinical trials and future perspectives. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 124:155272. [PMID: 38181530 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's diseases (AD) and dementia are among the highly prevalent neurological disorders characterized by deposition of beta amyloid (Aβ) plaques, dense deposits of highly phosphorylated tau proteins, insufficiency of acetylcholine (ACh) and imbalance in glutamatergic system. Patients typically experience cognitive, behavioral alterations and are unable to perform their routine activities. Evidence also suggests that inflammatory processes including excessive microglia activation, high expression of inflammatory cytokines and release of free radicals. Thus, targeting inflammatory pathways beside other targets might be the key factors to control- disease symptoms and progression. PURPOSE This review is aimed to highlight the mechanisms and pathways involved in the neuroprotective potentials of lead phytochemicals. Further to provide updates regarding challenges associated with their use and their progress into clinical trials as potential lead compounds. METHODS Most recent scientific literature on pre-clinical and clinical data published in quality journals especially on the lead phytochemicals including curcumin, catechins, quercetin, resveratrol, genistein and apigenin was collected using SciFinder, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, JSTOR, EBSCO, Scopus and other related web sources. RESULTS Literature review indicated that the drug discovery against AD is insufficient and only few drugs are clinically approved which have limited efficacy. Among the therapeutic options, natural products have got tremendous attraction owing to their molecular diversity, their safety and efficacy. Research suggest that natural products can delay the disease onset, reduce its progression and regenerate the damage via their anti-amyloid, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials. These agents regulate the pathways involved in the release of neurotrophins which are implicated in neuronal survival and function. Highly potential lead phytochemicals including curcumin, catechins, quercetin, resveratrol, genistein and apigenin regulate neuroprotective signaling pathways implicated in neurotrophins-mediated activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) and p75 neurotrophins receptor (p75NTR) family receptors. CONCLUSIONS Phytochemicals especially phenolic compounds were identified as highly potential molecules which ameliorate oxidative stress induced neurodegeneration, reduce Aβ load and inhibit vital enzymes. Yet their clinical efficacy and bioavailability are the major challenges which need further interventions for more effective therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ayaz
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, 18000 Dir (L), KP, Pakistan.
| | - Osama F Mosa
- Public health Department, Health Sciences College at Lieth, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, KSA
| | - Asif Nawaz
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, 18000 Dir (L), KP, Pakistan
| | - Alashary Adam Eisa Hamdoon
- Public health Department, Health Sciences College at Lieth, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, KSA; University of Khartoum, Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, Sudan
| | - Modawy Elnour Modawy Elkhalifa
- Public health Department, Health Sciences College at Lieth, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, KSA; University of Khartoum, Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, Sudan
| | - Abdul Sadiq
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, 18000 Dir (L), KP, Pakistan
| | - Farhat Ullah
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, 18000 Dir (L), KP, Pakistan
| | - Alshebli Ahmed
- Public health Department, Health Sciences College at Lieth, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, KSA; University of Khartoum, Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, Sudan
| | - Atul Kabra
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Haroon Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan
| | - H C Ananda Murthy
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Applied Natural Science, Adama Science and Technology University, P O Box 1888, Adama, Ethiopia; Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College & Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and technical science (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai-600077, Tamil Nadu, India
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New insights into the role and mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg1 in the management of Alzheimer's disease. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 152:113207. [PMID: 35667236 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly characterized by memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. The pathogenesis of AD is complex. One-targeted anti-AD drugs usually fail to delay AD progression. Traditional Chinese medicine records have documented the use of the roots of Panax ginseng (ginseng roots) and its prescriptions to treat dementia. Ginsenoside Rg1, the main ginsenoside component of ginseng roots, exhibits a certain therapeutic effect in the abovementioned diseases, suggesting its potential in the management of AD. Therefore, we combed the pathogenesis of AD and currently used anti-AD drugs, and reviewed the availability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmaceutic studies of ginsenoside Rg1. This review summarizes the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg1 and its deglycosylated derivatives in AD in vivo and in vitro. The main mechanisms include improvement in Aβ and Tau pathologies, regulation of synaptic function and intestinal microflora, and reduction of inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The underlying mechanisms mainly involve the regulation of PKC, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, CDK5, GSK-3β, BDNF/TrkB, PKA/CREB, FGF2/Akt, p21WAF1/CIP1, NF-κB, NLRP1, TLR3, and TLR4 signaling pathways. As the effects and underlying mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg1 on AD have not been systematically reviewed, we have provided a comprehensive review and shed light on the future directions in the utilization of ginsenoside Rg1 and ginseng roots as well as the development of anti-AD drugs.
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Ullah MA, Johora FT, Sarkar B, Araf Y, Ahmed N, Nahar AN, Akter T. Computer-assisted evaluation of plant-derived β-secretase inhibitors in Alzheimer’s disease. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-021-00150-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative age-related dementia that results in memory loss of elderly people. Many hypotheses have been formally articulated till now to decipher the pathogenesis of this disease. According to the compelling amyloidogenic hypothesis, β-secretase is a key regulatory enzyme in AD development and is therefore considered as one of the major targets for the development of drugs to treat AD. In this study, 40 plant-derived phytocompounds, proven to have β-secretase inhibitory activity in different laboratory experiments, were evaluated using computational approaches in order to identify the best possible β-secretase inhibitor(s).
Results
Amentoflavone (IFD score: − 7.842 Kcal/mol), Bilobetin (IFD score: − 7.417 Kcal/mol), and Ellagic acid (IFD score: − 6.923 Kcal/mol) showed highest β-secretase inhibitory activities with high binding affinity among all the selected phytocompounds and interacted with key amino acids, i.e., Asp32, Tyr71, and Asp228 in the catalytic site of β-secretase. Moreover, these three molecules exhibited promising results in different drug potential assessment experiments and displayed signs of correlation with significant pharmacological and biological activities.
Conclusion
Amentoflavone, Biolbetin, and Ellagic acid could be investigated further in developing β-secretase-dependent drug for the effective treatment of AD. However, additional in vivo and in vitro experiments might be required to strengthen the findings of this experiment.
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Wang Z, He C, Shi JS. Natural Products for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:5790-5828. [PMID: 31131744 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190527120614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the progressive degeneration of the structure and function of the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system. Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) are the common neurodegenerative diseases, which typically occur in people over the age of 60. With the rapid development of an aged society, over 60 million people worldwide are suffering from these uncurable diseases. Therefore, the search for new drugs and therapeutic methods has become an increasingly important research topic. Natural products especially those from the Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs), are the most important sources of drugs, and have received extensive interest among pharmacist. In this review, in order to facilitate further chemical modification of those useful natural products by pharmacists, we will bring together recent studies in single natural compound from TCMs with neuroprotective effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Wang
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Guizhou 563003, China.,Generic Drug Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, P.R. China
| | - Chunyang He
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Guizhou 563003, China.,Generic Drug Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, P.R. China
| | - Jing-Shan Shi
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Guizhou 563003, China
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Hu T, Li S, Liang WQ, Li SS, Lu MN, Chen B, Zhang L, Mao R, Ding WH, Gao WW, Chen SW, XiYang YB, Zhang J, Wang XY. Notoginsenoside R1-Induced Neuronal Repair in Models of Alzheimer Disease Is Associated With an Alteration in Neuronal Hyperexcitability, Which Is Regulated by Nav. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:280. [PMID: 33088260 PMCID: PMC7500285 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease is characterized by a progressive cognitive deficit and may be associated with an aberrant hyperexcitability of the neuronal network. Notoginsenoside R1 (R1), a major activity ingredient from Panax notoginseng, has demonstrated favorable changes in neuronal plasticity and induced neuroprotective effects in brain injuries, resulting from various disorders, however, the underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. In the present study, we aimed to explore the possible neuroprotective effects induced by R1 in a mouse model of AD and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Treatment with R1 significantly improved learning and memory functions and redressed neuronal hyperexcitability in amyloid precursor protein/presenilin-1 mice by altering the numbers and/or distribution of the members of voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav). Moreover, we determined whether R1 contributed to the regulation of neuronal excitability in Aβ-42–injured cells. Results of our study demonstrated that treatment with R1 rescued Aβ1-42–induced injured neurons by increasing cell viability. R1-induced alleviation in neuronal hyperexcitability might be associated with reduced Navβ2 cleavage, which partially reversed the abnormal distribution of Nav1.1α. These results suggested that R1 played a vital role in the recovery of Aβ1-42–induced neuronal injury and hyperexcitability, which is regulated by Nav proteins. Therefore, R1 may be a promising candidate in the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Shan Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, Basic Medical College, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Wen-Qi Liang
- Department of Emergency, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shan-Shan Li
- Basic Medical College, Experimental Teaching Center, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Min-Nan Lu
- Science and Technology Achievement Incubation Center, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Bo Chen
- Science and Technology Achievement Incubation Center, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Editorial Department of Journal of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Rui Mao
- School of Stomatology, Kunming Medicine University, Kunming, China
| | - Wan-Hai Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Wei Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Wen Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Bin XiYang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Basic Medical College, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Birth Defects and Genetic Diseases, Department of Medical Genetics, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.,Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xu-Yang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
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Pei H, Ma L, Cao Y, Wang F, Li Z, Liu N, Liu M, Wei Y, Li H. Traditional Chinese Medicine for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Impairment: A Review. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2020; 48:487-511. [PMID: 32329645 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x20500251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment (CI) refers to the dysfunction of memory, language, visual space, execution, calculation, understanding, and judgment in one or more aspects. With global aging, CI will become prevalent worldwide. At present, there is no effective cure for CI. However, Nobel laureate Tu Youyou's research on artemisinin has inspired Chinese researchers to focus on traditional Chinese herbs (TCHs) for the treatment of CI. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has led to a theory for an independent CI system. The pathogenesis of such impairment involves deficiency, phlegm, and stagnation and involves a range of organs, including the brain, kidneys, heart, liver, and spleen. Our current understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of this condition has led to the realization that TCHs can improve cognitive dysfunction. Clinical research has shown that TCHs can improve the neuropsychological scale score of patients, the TCM symptom score, and the patient's quality of life. Research has also suggested that TCHs can retard Aβ deposits and tauopathy, regulate the metabolism of cholinergic neurotransmitters, and so on. However, due to their complexity, little is known of the safety and efficacy of TCHs in patients with CI. It is likely that we will be able to identify the precise mechanisms associated with the action of TCHs in such patients due to the integration of multiple technologies. This paper summarizes the pharmacokinetics, curative effect, and mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese herbs in order to provide a scientific basis for the improvement of cognitive dysfunction by TCHs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Pei
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Lina Ma
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Yu Cao
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Feixue Wang
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, P. R. China
| | - Zehui Li
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Nanyang Liu
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Meixia Liu
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Yun Wei
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
| | - Hao Li
- Institude of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, P. R. China
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10
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Huang Y, Guo B, Shi B, Gao Q, Zhou Q. Chinese Herbal Medicine Xueshuantong Enhances Cerebral Blood Flow and Improves Neural Functions in Alzheimer's Disease Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 63:1089-1107. [PMID: 29710701 PMCID: PMC6004915 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Reduced cerebral blood flow in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may occur in early AD, which contributes to the pathogenesis and/or pathological progression of AD. Reversing this deficit may have therapeutic potential. Certain traditional Chinese herbal medicines (e.g., Saponin and its major component Xueshuantong [XST]) increase blood flow in humans, but whether they could be effective in treating AD patients has not been tested. We found that systemic XST injection elevated cerebral blood flow in APP/PS1 transgenic mice using two-photon time-lapse imaging in the same microvessels before and after injection. Subchronic XST treatment led to improved spatial learning and memory and motor performance in the APP/PS1 mice, suggesting improved neural plasticity and functions. Two-photon time lapse imaging of the same plaques revealed a reduction in plaque size after XST treatment. In addition, western blots experiments showed that XST treatment led to reduced processing of amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and enhanced clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) without altering the total level of AβPP. We also found increased synapse density in the immediate vicinity of amyloid plaques, suggesting enhanced synaptic function. We conclude that targeting cerebral blood flow can be an effective strategy in treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangmei Huang
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Baihong Guo
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bihua Shi
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingtao Gao
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiang Zhou
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
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11
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Sharma R, Kuca K, Nepovimova E, Kabra A, Rao MM, Prajapati PK. Traditional Ayurvedic and herbal remedies for Alzheimer's disease: from bench to bedside. Expert Rev Neurother 2019; 19:359-374. [PMID: 30884983 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2019.1596803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder prevalent worldwide among elderly populations. Owing to limited efficacy, side effects, and poor patient compliance for current rationally designed therapies, options are being searched from alternate therapies such as Indian (Ayurvedic), Chinese, or other traditional systems. Areas covered: Following a comprehensive literature search, the authors provide a review encompassing: (1) pathophysiological changes involved in AD, (2) Ayurvedic holistic approach and herbal medicines to manage dementia and AD, and (3) traditional plants and their phytoconstituents effective in AD with description of possible mechanism of action. Expert opinion: Traditional remedies could be adjunct therapeutic options to allay wide-ranging pathological cascades of AD. Ayurveda offers a holistic approach of treatment along with a list of nootropic herbs and formulations that are the rich sources of antioxidants, anti-amyloidogenic, neuroprotective, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory compounds that are found to modulate neuroendocrine-immune activities, enhance memory, intellect, rejuvenate brain functions, and improve quality of life. A strong knowledge base of traditional systems coupled with contemporary science may provide new functional leads for age-associated neurodegenerative disorders at preventive, promotive, and curative levels, and evolution of new drug therapies and development processes, though further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Sharma
- a Central Ayurveda Research Institute for Drug Development , CCRAS, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India , Bidhannagar , Kolkata , India
| | - Kamil Kuca
- b Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , University of Hradec Kralove , Hradec Kralove , Czech Republic
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- b Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , University of Hradec Kralove , Hradec Kralove , Czech Republic
| | - Atul Kabra
- c Department of Pharmacology , Kota College of Pharmacy , Kota , Rajasthan , India
| | - M M Rao
- d Central Ayurveda Research Institute for Drug Development , Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India , Bidhannagar , Kolkata , India
| | - P K Prajapati
- e Rasashastra & Bhaishajya Kalpana , All India Institute of Ayurveda , New Delhi , India
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12
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Schaduangrat N, Prachayasittikul V, Choomwattana S, Wongchitrat P, Phopin K, Suwanjang W, Malik AA, Vincent B, Nantasenamat C. Multidisciplinary approaches for targeting the secretase protein family as a therapeutic route for Alzheimer's disease. Med Res Rev 2019; 39:1730-1778. [PMID: 30628099 DOI: 10.1002/med.21563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The continual increase of the aging population worldwide renders Alzheimer's disease (AD) a global prime concern. Several attempts have been focused on understanding the intricate complexity of the disease's development along with the on- andgoing search for novel therapeutic strategies. Incapability of existing AD drugs to effectively modulate the pathogenesis or to delay the progression of the disease leads to a shift in the paradigm of AD drug discovery. Efforts aimed at identifying AD drugs have mostly focused on the development of disease-modifying agents in which effects are believed to be long lasting. Of particular note, the secretase enzymes, a group of proteases responsible for the metabolism of the β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP) and β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides production, have been underlined for their promising therapeutic potential. This review article attempts to comprehensively cover aspects related to the identification and use of drugs targeting the secretase enzymes. Particularly, the roles of secretases in the pathogenesis of AD and their therapeutic modulation are provided herein. Moreover, an overview of the drug development process and the contribution of computational (in silico) approaches for facilitating successful drug discovery are also highlighted along with examples of relevant computational works. Promising chemical scaffolds, inhibitors, and modulators against each class of secretases are also summarized herein. Additionally, multitarget secretase modulators are also taken into consideration in light of the current growing interest in the polypharmacology of complex diseases. Finally, challenging issues and future outlook relevant to the discovery of drugs targeting secretases are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalini Schaduangrat
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Veda Prachayasittikul
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Saowapak Choomwattana
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Prapimpun Wongchitrat
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center for Research and Innovation, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kamonrat Phopin
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center for Research and Innovation, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wilasinee Suwanjang
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center for Research and Innovation, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Aijaz Ahmad Malik
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bruno Vincent
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Chanin Nantasenamat
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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13
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Kim HJ, Jung SW, Kim SY, Cho IH, Kim HC, Rhim H, Kim M, Nah SY. Panax ginseng as an adjuvant treatment for Alzheimer's disease. J Ginseng Res 2018; 42:401-411. [PMID: 30337800 PMCID: PMC6190533 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Longevity in medicine can be defined as a long life without mental or physical deficits. This can be prevented by Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current conventional AD treatments only alleviate the symptoms without reversing AD progression. Recent studies demonstrated that Panax ginseng extract improves AD symptoms in patients with AD, and the two main components of ginseng might contribute to AD amelioration. Ginsenosides show various AD-related neuroprotective effects. Gintonin is a newly identified ginseng constituent that contains lysophosphatidic acids and attenuates AD-related brain neuropathies. Ginsenosides decrease amyloid β-protein (Aβ) formation by inhibiting β- and γ-secretase activity or by activating the nonamyloidogenic pathway, inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity and Aβ-induced neurotoxicity, and decrease Aβ-induced production of reactive oxygen species and neuroinflammatory reactions. Oral administration of ginsenosides increases the expression levels of enzymes involved in acetylcholine synthesis in the brain and alleviates Aβ-induced cholinergic deficits in AD models. Similarly, gintonin inhibits Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and activates the nonamyloidogenic pathway to reduce Aβ formation and to increase acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase expression in the brain through lysophosphatidic acid receptors. Oral administration of gintonin attenuates brain amyloid plaque deposits, boosting hippocampal cholinergic systems and neurogenesis, thereby ameliorating learning and memory impairments. It also improves cognitive functions in patients with AD. Ginsenosides and gintonin attenuate AD-related neuropathology through multiple routes. This review focuses research demonstrating that ginseng constituents could be a candidate as an adjuvant for AD treatment. However, clinical investigations including efficacy and tolerability analyses may be necessary for the clinical acceptance of ginseng components in combination with conventional AD drugs.
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Key Words
- AChE, acetylcholinesterase
- AD, Alzheimer's disease
- APP, amyloid precursor protein
- Adjuvant
- Alzheimer's disease
- Aβ, amyloid β-protein
- BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor
- EGF, Epidermal growth factor
- GLP151, ginseng major latex-like protein 151
- Ginsenoside
- Gintonin
- LPA, Lysophosphatidic acid
- NGF, nerve growth factor
- NMDA, n-methyl-d-aspartic acid
- PI3K, phosphoinositide-3 kinase
- PPARγ, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ
- Panax ginseng
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- sAPPα, soluble amyloid precursor protein α
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon-Joong Kim
- Ginsentology Research Laboratory and Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Won Jung
- Ginsentology Research Laboratory and Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seog-Young Kim
- Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Institute of Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ik-Hyun Cho
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung-Chun Kim
- Neuropsychopharmacology and toxicology program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyewhon Rhim
- Center for Neuroscience, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Manho Kim
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Research Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Yeol Nah
- Ginsentology Research Laboratory and Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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14
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Sahoo AK, Dandapat J, Dash UC, Kanhar S. Features and outcomes of drugs for combination therapy as multi-targets strategy to combat Alzheimer's disease. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2018; 215:42-73. [PMID: 29248451 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Alzheimer's disease (AD), a deleterious neurodegenerative disorder that impairs memory, cognitive functions and may lead to dementia in late stage of life. The pathogenic cause of AD remains incompletely understood and FDA approved drugs are partial inhibitors rather than curative. Most of drugs are synthetic or natural products as galanthamine is an alkaloid obtained from Galanthus spp. Huperzine A, an alkaloid found in Huperzia spp., gingkolides a diterpenoids from Gingko biloba and many ethnobotanicals like Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal., Physostigma venenosum Balf., Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. have been used by traditional Indian, Chinese, and European system of medicines in AD. Clinical significance opioid alkaloid in Papaver somniferum has shown another dimension to this study. Over exploitation of medicinal plants with limited bioactive principles has provided templates to design synthetic drugs in AD e.g. rivastigmine, phenserine, eptastigmine based on chemical structure of physostigmine of Physostigma venenosum Balf. Even ZT-1 a prodrug of Hup A and memogain a prodrug of galantamine has achieved new direction in drug development in AD. All these first-line cholinesterase-inhibitors are used as symptomatic treatments in AD. Single modality of "One-molecule-one-target" strategy for treating AD has failed and so future therapies on "Combination-drugs-multi-targets" strategy (CDMT) will need to address multiple aspects to block the progression of pathogenesis of AD. Besides, cholinergic and amyloid drugs, in this article we summarize proteinopathy-based drugs as AD therapeutics from a variety of biological sources. In this review, an attempt has been made to elucidate the molecular mode of action of various plant products, and synthetic drugs investigated in various preclinical and clinical tests in AD. It also discusses current attempts to formulate a comprehensive CDMT strategy to counter complex pathogenesis in AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS Information were collected from classical books on medicinal plants, pharmacopoeias and scientific databases like PubMed, Scopus, GoogleScholar, Web of Science and electronic searches were performed using Cochrane Library, Medline and EMBASE. Also published scientific literatures from Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, ACS, Wiley publishers and reports by government bodies and documentations were assessed. RESULTS 60 no. of natural and synthetic drugs have been studied with their significant bioactivities. A decision matrix designed for evaluation of drugs for considering to the hypothetic "CDMT" strategy in AD. We have introduced the scoring pattern of individual drugs and based on scoring pattern, drugs that fall within the scoring range of 18-25 are considered in the proposed CDMT. It also highlights the importance of available natural products and in future those drugs may be considered in CDMT along with the qualified synthetic drugs. CONCLUSION A successful validation of the CDMT strategy may open up a debate on health care reform to explore other possibilities of combination therapy. In doing so, it should focus on clinical and molecular relationships between AD and CDMT. A better understanding of these relationships could inform and impact future development of AD-directed treatment strategies. This strategy also involves in reducing costs in treatment phases which will be affordable to a common man suffering from AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atish Kumar Sahoo
- Phytotherapy Research Lab., Medicinal & Aromatic Plant Division, Regional Plant Resource Centre, Forest & Environment Department, Govt. of Odisha, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar 751015, India.
| | - Jagnehswar Dandapat
- Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar 751004, India
| | - Umesh Chandra Dash
- Phytotherapy Research Lab., Medicinal & Aromatic Plant Division, Regional Plant Resource Centre, Forest & Environment Department, Govt. of Odisha, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar 751015, India
| | - Satish Kanhar
- Phytotherapy Research Lab., Medicinal & Aromatic Plant Division, Regional Plant Resource Centre, Forest & Environment Department, Govt. of Odisha, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar 751015, India
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15
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Tewari D, Stankiewicz AM, Mocan A, Sah AN, Tzvetkov NT, Huminiecki L, Horbańczuk JO, Atanasov AG. Ethnopharmacological Approaches for Dementia Therapy and Significance of Natural Products and Herbal Drugs. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:3. [PMID: 29483867 PMCID: PMC5816049 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dementia is a clinical syndrome wherein gradual decline of mental and cognitive capabilities of an afflicted person takes place. Dementia is associated with various risk factors and conditions such as insufficient cerebral blood supply, toxin exposure, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage, and often coexisting with some neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). Although there are well-established (semi-)synthetic drugs currently used for the management of AD and AD-associated dementia, most of them have several adverse effects. Thus, traditional medicine provides various plant-derived lead molecules that may be useful for further medical research. Herein we review the worldwide use of ethnomedicinal plants in dementia treatment. We have explored a number of recognized databases by using keywords and phrases such as “dementia”, “Alzheimer's,” “traditional medicine,” “ethnopharmacology,” “ethnobotany,” “herbs,” “medicinal plants” or other relevant terms, and summarized 90 medicinal plants that are traditionally used to treat dementia. Moreover, we highlight five medicinal plants or plant genera of prime importance and discuss the physiological effects, as well as the mechanism of action of their major bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and dementia is also discussed. We conclude that several drugs of plant origin may serve as promising therapeutics for the treatment of dementia, however, pivotal evidence for their therapeutic efficacy in advanced clinical studies is still lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devesh Tewari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
| | - Adrian M Stankiewicz
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Andrei Mocan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,ICHAT and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Archana N Sah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
| | - Nikolay T Tzvetkov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular Biology Roumen Tsanev, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Lukasz Huminiecki
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Jarosław O Horbańczuk
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Atanas G Atanasov
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland.,Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Fraction n-Butanol of Radix Notoginseng Protects PC12 Cells from A β25-35-Induced Cytotoxicity and Alleviates Cognitive Deficits in SAMP8 Mice by Attenuating Oxidative Stress and A β Accumulation. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2017; 2017:8469754. [PMID: 29234436 PMCID: PMC5651138 DOI: 10.1155/2017/8469754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Chinese medicine has been used for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment for thousands of years with more effective and fewer side effects. Therefore, developing effective potential candidates from Chinese medicine against AD would be considered as critical and efficient therapy for AD treatment. This study was designed to evaluate the neuronal protective effect of fraction n-butanol (NB) of Radix Notoginseng on Aβ25–35-induced PC12 cells, explore the effect of the tested fraction on spatial learning and memory, and characterize the impacts of fraction NB on antioxidant enzymes, Aβ production, and APP and BACE1 expressions. The results revealed that fraction NB could promote proliferation of PC12 cells and protect and rescue PC12 cells from Aβ25–35-induced cell death. Moreover, fraction NB could improve spatial learning and memory impairments of senescence-accelerated prone8 (SAMP8) mice and attenuate oxidative stress and reduce the production of Aβ by inhibiting the expressions of APP and BACE1 in the brains of SAMP8 mice. The result of single dose acute toxicity assay showed that fraction NB had a mild toxicity in vivo. The pronounced actions against AD and in vivo low toxicity of fraction NB suggest that fraction NB may be a useful alternative to the current AD treatment.
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17
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Fang J, Wang L, Wu T, Yang C, Gao L, Cai H, Liu J, Fang S, Chen Y, Tan W, Wang Q. Network pharmacology-based study on the mechanism of action for herbal medicines in Alzheimer treatment. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2017; 196:281-292. [PMID: 27888133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Alzheimer's disease (AD), as the most common type of dementia, has brought a heavy economic burden to healthcare system around the world. However, currently there is still lack of effective treatment for AD patients. Herbal medicines, featured as multiple herbs, ingredients and targets, have accumulated a great deal of valuable experience in treating AD although the exact molecular mechanisms are still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this investigation, we proposed a network pharmacology-based method, which combined large-scale text-mining, drug-likeness filtering, target prediction and network analysis to decipher the mechanisms of action for the most widely studied medicinal herbs in AD treatment. RESULTS The text mining of PubMed resulted in 10 herbs exhibiting significant correlations with AD. Subsequently, after drug-likeness filtering, 1016 compounds were remaining for 10 herbs, followed by structure clustering to sum up chemical scaffolds of herb ingredients. Based on target prediction results performed by our in-house protocol named AlzhCPI, compound-target (C-T) and target-pathway (T-P) networks were constructed to decipher the mechanism of action for anti-AD herbs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this approach provided a novel strategy to explore the mechanisms of herbal medicine from a holistic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiansong Fang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, Pre-Incubator for Innovative Drugs & Medicine, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tian Wu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Cong Yang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Li Gao
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Haobin Cai
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Junhui Liu
- Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530001, China
| | - Shuhuan Fang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Yunbo Chen
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Wen Tan
- Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Qi Wang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
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18
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Shim JS, Song MY, Yim SV, Lee SE, Park KS. Global analysis of ginsenoside Rg1 protective effects in β-amyloid-treated neuronal cells. J Ginseng Res 2016; 41:566-571. [PMID: 29021705 PMCID: PMC5628347 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of reports have described the protective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the protective mechanisms of Rg1 in AD remain elusive. METHODS To investigate the potential mechanisms of Rg1 in β-amyloid peptide-treated SH-SY5Y cells, a comparative proteomic analysis was performed using stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture combined with nano-LC-MS/MS. RESULTS We identified a total of 1,149 proteins in three independent experiments. Forty-nine proteins were significantly altered by Rg1 after exposure of the cells to β-amyloid peptides. The protein interaction network analysis showed that these altered proteins were clustered in ribosomal proteins, mitochondria, the actin cytoskeleton, and splicing proteins. Among these proteins, mitochondrial proteins containing HSD17B10, AARS2, TOMM40, VDAC1, COX5A, and NDUFA4 were associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of AD. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that mitochondrial proteins may be related to the protective mechanisms of Rg1 in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Seon Shim
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Young Song
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Biomedical Omics Group, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Vin Yim
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Eun Lee
- Department of Herbal Crop Research, National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, Eumseong, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang-Sik Park
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Biomedical Science Institute, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,KHU-KIST Department of Converging Science and Technology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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19
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Huang L, Liu LF, Liu J, Dou L, Wang GY, Liu XQ, Yuan QL. Ginsenoside Rg1 protects against neurodegeneration by inducing neurite outgrowth in cultured hippocampal neurons. Neural Regen Res 2016; 11:319-25. [PMID: 27073387 PMCID: PMC4810998 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.177741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) has anti-aging and anti-neurodegenerative effects. However, the mechanisms underlying these actions remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine whether Rg1 affects hippocampal survival and neurite outgrowth in vitro after exposure to amyloid-beta peptide fragment 25-35 (Aβ25-35), and to explore whether the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt signaling pathways are involved in these biological processes. We cultured hippocampal neurons from newborn rats for 24 hours, then added Rg1 to the medium for another 24 hours, with or without pharmacological inhibitors of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family or Akt signaling pathways for a further 24 hours. We then immunostained the neurons for growth associated protein-43, and measured neurite length. In a separate experiment, we exposed cultured hippocampal neurons to Aβ25-35 for 30 minutes, before adding Rg1 for 48 hours, with or without Akt or MAPK inhibitors, and assessed neuronal survival using Hoechst 33258 staining, and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt by western blot analysis. Rg1 induced neurite outgrowth, and this effect was blocked by API-2 (Akt inhibitor) and PD98059 (MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor), but not by SP600125 or SB203580 (inhibitors of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 MAPK, respectively). Consistent with this effect, Rg1 upregulated the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2; these effects were reversed by API-2 and PD98059, respectively. In addition, Rg1 significantly reversed Aβ25-35-induced apoptosis; this effect was blocked by API-2 and PD98059, but not by SP600125 or SB203580. Finally, Rg1 significantly reversed the Aβ25-35-induced decrease in Akt and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, but API-2 prevented this reversal. Our results indicate that Rg1 enhances neurite outgrowth and protects against Aβ25-35-induced damage, and that its mechanism may involve the activation of Akt and ERK1/2 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Huang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Feng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Dou
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ge-Ying Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiong-Lan Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Li F, Wu X, Li J, Niu Q. Ginsenoside Rg1 ameliorates hippocampal long-term potentiation and memory in an Alzheimer's disease model. Mol Med Rep 2016; 13:4904-10. [PMID: 27082952 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.5103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has limited progression in the identification of effective therapeutic agents. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin‑1 (PS1) are always overexpressed in AD, and are considered to be the initiators of the formation of β‑amyloid plaques and the symptoms of AD. In the present study, a transgenic AD model, constructed via the overexpression of APP and PS1, was used to verify the protective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on memory performance and synaptic plasticity. AD mice (6‑month‑old) were treated via intraperitoneal injection of 0.1‑10 mg/kg ginsenoside Rg1. Long‑term memory, synaptic plasticity, and the levels of AD‑associated and synaptic plasticity‑associated proteins were measured following treatment. Memory was measured using a fear conditioning task and protein expression levels were investigated using western blotting. All the data was analyzed by one-way analysis of variance or t‑test. Following 30 days of consecutive treatment, memory in the AD mouse model was ameliorated in the 10 mg/kg ginsenoside Rg1 treatment group. As demonstrated by biochemical experiments, ginsenoside Rg1 treatment reduced the accumulations of β‑amyloid 1‑42 and phosphorylated (p)‑Tau in the AD model. Additionally, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and p‑TrkB synaptic plasticity‑associated proteins were upregulated following ginsenoside Rg1 application. Correspondingly, long‑term potentiation (LTP) was restored following ginsenoside Rg1 application in the AD mice model. Taken together, ginsenoside Rg1 repaired hippocampal LTP and memory, likely through facilitating the clearance of AD‑associated proteins and through activation of the BDNF‑TrkB pathway. Therefore, ginsenoside Rg1 may be a candidate drug for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengling Li
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261031, P.R. China
| | - Xiqing Wu
- Medical Imaging Center, Weifang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261041, P.R. China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Orthopaedics Rehabilitation, Weifang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261041, P.R. China
| | - Qingliang Niu
- Medical Imaging Center, Weifang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261041, P.R. China
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Quan QK, Li X, Yuan HF, Wang Y, Liu WL. Ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits high-voltage-activated calcium channel currents in hippocampal neurons of beta-amyloid peptide-exposed rat brain slices. Chin J Integr Med 2016:10.1007/s11655-015-2301-4. [PMID: 26779710 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-015-2301-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) inhibits the high-voltage-activated calcium currents (ICa,HVA) via mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in hippocampal neurons in rat brain slices exposed to beta-amyloid peptide 25-35 (Aβ25-35). METHODS An experimental Alzheimer disease (AD) model was prepared by exposure of rat brain slices to Aβ25-35 (10 µmol/L). After treatment with Rg1 (20 µmol/L), the ICa,HVA elicited in hippocampal neurons in these rat brain slices upon depolarization from-40 to 40 mV for 200 ms was recorded by a whole-cell patch clamp to analyze the changes in the peak current density, I-V curve, activation-V curve, and inactivation-V curve. RESULTS Exposure of rat brain slices to Aβ led to a significant increase in ICa,HVA, enhancement of the voltage sensitivity of channel activation, and reduction of the voltage sensitivity of channel inactivation in neurons in the hippocampus of rat brain slices. Rg1 treatment significantly inhibited these changes. These effects of Rg1 could be effectively inhibited by the MAPK inhibitor PD98059. CONCLUSION Rg1 can inhibit Ica,HVA via MAPK in hippocampal neurons in Aβ-exposed rat brain slices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian-Kun Quan
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Xi Li
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710004, China.
| | - Hai-Feng Yuan
- Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wen-Li Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710061, China
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Proteomics in Traditional Chinese Medicine with an Emphasis on Alzheimer's Disease. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2015; 2015:393510. [PMID: 26557146 PMCID: PMC4628675 DOI: 10.1155/2015/393510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an increasing worldwide interest in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This increasing demand for TCM needs to be accompanied by a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of TCM-based therapy. However, TCM is often described as a concept of Chinese philosophy, which is incomprehensible for Western medical society, thereby creating a gap between TCM and Western medicine (WM). In order to meet this challenge, TCM research has applied proteomics technologies for exploring the mechanisms of action of TCM treatment. Proteomics enables TCM researchers to oversee various pathways that are affected by treatment, as well as the dynamics of their interactions with one another. This review discusses the utility of comparative proteomics to better understand how TCM treatment may be used as a complementary therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Additionally, we review the data from comparative AD-related TCM proteomics studies and establish the relevance of the data with available AD hypotheses, most notably regarding the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS).
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Kumar NS, Nisha N. Phytomedicines as potential inhibitors of β amyloid aggregation: significance to Alzheimer's disease. Chin J Nat Med 2015; 12:801-18. [PMID: 25480511 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(14)60122-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the history of drug development, plants have been an important source for the discovery of novel therapeutically active compounds for many diseases. The ethnopharmacological approach has provided several leads to identify potential new drugs from plant sources, including those for memory disorders. For the treatment of Alzheimer's disease the drug discovery focus shifted from cholinesterase inhibitors, to other targets primarily based on two key neuropathological hallmarks, namely the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein resulting in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and the increased formation and aggregation of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP). The present article aims to provide a comprehensive literature survey of plants and their constituents that have been tested for Aβ aggregation, thus possibly relieving several features of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
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Affiliation(s)
- N Satheesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER-H], Balanagar, Hyderabad-500037, India.
| | - N Nisha
- Department of Biochemistry, Aurigene Discovery Technologies, Hyderabad-500049, India
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Echinacoside Protects against 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Inflammatory Responses in PC12 Cells via Reducing ROS Production. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2015; 2015:189239. [PMID: 25788961 PMCID: PMC4348598 DOI: 10.1155/2015/189239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Revised: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons at the substantia nigra. Mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory responses are involved in the mechanism of cell damage in PD. 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), a dopamine analog, specifically damages dopaminergic neurons. Echinacoside (ECH) is a phenylethanoid glycoside isolated from the stems of Cistanche salsa, showing a variety of neuroprotective effects in previous studies. The present study was to investigate its effect against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity and possible mechanisms in PC12 cells. The results showed that 6-OHDA reduced cell viability, decreased oxidation-reduction activity, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis compared with untreated PC12 cells. However, echinacoside treatment significantly attenuated these changes induced by 6-OHDA. In addition, echinacoside also could significantly alleviate the inflammatory responses induced by 6-OHDA. Further research showed that echinacoside could reduce 6-OHDA-induced ROS production in PC12 cells. These results suggest that the underlying mechanism of echinacoside against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity may be involve in attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory responses by reducing ROS production.
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25
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Notoginsenoside R1 increases neuronal excitability and ameliorates synaptic and memory dysfunction following amyloid elevation. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6352. [PMID: 25213453 PMCID: PMC4161968 DOI: 10.1038/srep06352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration and synaptic dysfunction observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been associated with progressive decrease in neuronal activity. Here, we investigated the effects of Notoginsenoside R1 (NTR1), a major saponin isolated from Panax notoginseng, on neuronal excitability and assessed the beneficial effects of NTR1 on synaptic and memory deficits under the Aβ-enriched conditions in vivo and in vitro. We assessed the effects of NTR1 on neuronal excitability, membrane ion channel activity, and synaptic plasticity in acute hippocampal slices by combining electrophysiological extracellular and intracellular recording techniques. We found that NTR1 increased the membrane excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slices by lowering the spike threshold possibly through a mechanism involving in the inhibition of voltage-gated K+ currents. In addition, NTR1 reversed Aβ1-42 oligomers-induced impairments in long term potentiation (LTP). Reducing spontaneous firing activity with 10 nM tetrodotoxin (TTX) abolished the protective effect of NTR1 against Aβ-induced LTP impairment. Finally, oral administration of NTR1 improved the learning performance of the APP/PS1 mouse model of AD. Our work reveals a novel mechanism involving in modulation of cell strength, which contributes to the protective effects of NTR1 against Aβ neurotoxicity.
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Youn K, Lee J, Yun EY, Ho CT, Karwe MV, Jeong WS, Jun M. Biological evaluation and in silico docking study of γ-linolenic acid as a potential BACE1 inhibitor. J Funct Foods 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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Meng X, Wang M, Wang X, Sun G, Ye J, Xu H, Sun X. Suppression of NADPH oxidase- and mitochondrion-derived superoxide by Notoginsenoside R1 protects against cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury through estrogen receptor-dependent activation of Akt/Nrf2 pathways. Free Radic Res 2014; 48:823-38. [DOI: 10.3109/10715762.2014.911853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Wang YH, Yu HT, Pu XP, Du GH. Myricitrin alleviates methylglyoxal-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB pathway activation in SH-SY5Y cells. J Mol Neurosci 2014; 53:562-70. [PMID: 24510749 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-013-0222-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 12/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been identified in age-related intracellular protein deposits of neurodegenerative diseases. Methylglyoxal (MGO), a dicarbonyl metabolite, is a major precursor of AGEs which have been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Myricitrin, a flavanoid isolated from the root bark of Myrica cerifera, attenuated 6-OHDA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and had a potential anti-Parkinson's disease in our previous investigation. The aims of this study were to investigate the protective effects of myricitrin against MGO-induced injury in SH-SY5Y cells and also to look for the possible mechanisms. The results showed that exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to MGO caused decreases of cell viability, intracellular ATP, mitochondrial redox activity, and mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in reactive oxygen species generation. However, these mitochondrial dysfunctions were alleviated by co-treatment with myricitrin. Additionally, myricitrin was capable of inhibiting AGEs formation, blocking RAGE expression, and inhibiting NF-κB activation and translocation triggered by MGO in SH-SY5Y cells. Our results suggest that myricitrin alleviates MGO-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and the possible mechanism is through modulating the AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB pathway. In summary, myricitrin might offer a promising therapeutic strategy to reduce the neurotoxicity of reactive dicarbonyl compounds, providing a potential benefit agent with age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Hua Wang
- National Key Research Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China
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29
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Wang YH, Yu HT, Pu XP, Du GH. Baicalein prevents 6-hydroxydopamine-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in SH-SY5Y cells via inhibition of mitochondrial oxidation and up-regulation of DJ-1 protein expression. Molecules 2013; 18:14726-38. [PMID: 24288000 PMCID: PMC6270380 DOI: 10.3390/molecules181214726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons at the substantia nigra. Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the mechanism of cell damage in Parkinson’s disease (PD). 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a dopamine analog which specifically damages dopaminergic neurons. Baicalein has been previously reported to have potential in the treatment of PD. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of action of baicalein against 6-OHDA injury in SH-SY5Y cells. The results showed that baicalein significantly alleviated alterations of mitochondrial redox activity and mitochondrial membrane potential induced by 6-OHDA in a dose-dependent manner in SH-SY5Y cells compared with vehicle group. Futhermore, baicalein decreased the production of ROS and upregulated the DJ-1 protein expression in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, baicalein also inhibited ROS production and lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 6.32 ± 0.03 μM) in rat brain mitochondia. In summary, the underlying mechanisms of baicalein against 6-OHDA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction may involve inhibition of mitochondrial oxidation and upregulation of DJ-1 protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Hua Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University; Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target Identification, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mails: (Y.-H.W.); (X.-P.P.); (G.-H.D.); Tel.: +86-10-6316-5313 (Y.-H.W.); +86-10-8280-2431 (X.-P.P.); +86-10-6316-5184 (G.-H.D.)
| | - Hai-Tao Yu
- Jiangsu Kanon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Lianyungang 222047, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Pu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University; Beijing 100191, China
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mails: (Y.-H.W.); (X.-P.P.); (G.-H.D.); Tel.: +86-10-6316-5313 (Y.-H.W.); +86-10-8280-2431 (X.-P.P.); +86-10-6316-5184 (G.-H.D.)
| | - Guan-Hua Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target Identification, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mails: (Y.-H.W.); (X.-P.P.); (G.-H.D.); Tel.: +86-10-6316-5313 (Y.-H.W.); +86-10-8280-2431 (X.-P.P.); +86-10-6316-5184 (G.-H.D.)
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HOU JINGANG, XUE JIANJIE, LEE MIRA, YU JIAOJIAO, SUNG CHANGKEUN. Long-term administration of ginsenoside Rh1 enhances learning and memory by promoting cell survival in the mouse hippocampus. Int J Mol Med 2013; 33:234-40. [DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2013.1552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Bu Y, Lee K, Jung HS, Moon SK. Therapeutic effects of traditional herbal medicine on cerebral ischemia: a perspective of vascular protection. Chin J Integr Med 2013; 19:804-14. [PMID: 24170629 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1341-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Although many agents for acute ischemic stroke treatment have been developed from extensive preclinical studies, most have failed in clinical trials. As a result, researchers are seeking other methods or agents based on previous studies. Among the various prospective approaches, vascular protection might be the key for development of therapeutic agents for stroke and for improvements in the efficacy and safety of conventional therapies. Traditional medicines in Asian countries are based on clinical experiences and literature accumulated over thousands of years. To date, many studies have used traditional herbal medicines to prove or develop new agents based on stroke treatments mentioned in traditional medicinal theory or other clinical data. In the current review, we describe the vascular factors related to ischemic brain damage and the herbal medicines that impact these factors, including Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, Notoginseng Radix, and Curcumae Rhizoma, based on scientific reports and traditional medical theory. Further, we point out the problems associated with herbal medicines in stroke research and propose better methodologies to address these problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngmin Bu
- Department of Herbal Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Republic of Korea,
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32
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Can medical herbs stimulate regeneration or neuroprotection and treat neuropathic pain in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy? EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2013; 2013:423713. [PMID: 23983777 PMCID: PMC3747437 DOI: 10.1155/2013/423713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIPN) has a relevant impact on the quality of life of cancer patients. There are no curative conventional treatments, so further options have to be investigated. We conducted a systematic review in English and Chinese language databases to illuminate the role of medical herbs. 26 relevant studies on 5 single herbs, one extract, one receptor-agonist, and 8 combinations of herbs were identified focusing on the single herbs Acorus calamus rhizoma, Cannabis sativa fructus, Chamomilla matricaria, Ginkgo biloba, Salvia officinalis, Sweet bee venom, Fritillaria cirrhosae bulbus, and the herbal combinations Bu Yang Huan Wu, modified Bu Yang Huan Wu plus Liuwei Di Huang, modified Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Wan, Geranii herba plus Aconiti lateralis praeparata radix , Niu Che Sen Qi Wan (Goshajinkigan), Gui Zhi Jia Shu Fu Tang (Keishikajutsubuto), Huang Qi Wu Wu Tang (Ogikeishigomotsuto), and Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang (Shakuyakukanzoto). The knowledge of mechanism of action is still limited, the quality of clinical trials needs further improvement, and studies have not yielded enough evidence to establish a standard practice, but a lot of promising substances have been identified. While CIPN has multiple mechanisms of neuronal degeneration, a combination of herbs or substances might deal with multiple targets for the aim of neuroprotection or neuroregeneration in CIPN.
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Involvement of IGF-I receptor and estrogen receptor pathways in the protective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 against Aβ25–35-induced toxicity in PC12 cells. Neurochem Int 2013; 62:1065-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2013.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2012] [Revised: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Kim J, Kim SH, Lee DS, Lee DJ, Kim SH, Chung S, Yang HO. Effects of fermented ginseng on memory impairment and β-amyloid reduction in Alzheimer's disease experimental models. J Ginseng Res 2013; 37:100-7. [PMID: 23717163 PMCID: PMC3659620 DOI: 10.5142/jgr.2013.37.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2012] [Revised: 09/27/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the effect of fermented ginseng (FG) on memory impairment and β-amyloid (Aβ) reduction in models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in vitro and in vivo. FG extract was prepared by steaming and fermenting ginseng. In vitro assessment measured soluble Aβ42 levels in HeLa cells, which stably express the Swedish mutant form of amyloid precursor protein. After 8 h incubation with the FG extract, the level of soluble Aβ42 was reduced. For behavioral assessments, the passive avoidance test was used for the scopolamine-injected ICR mouse model, and the Morris water maze was used for a transgenic (TG) mouse model, which exhibits impaired memory function and increased Aβ42 level in the brain. FG extract was treated for 2 wk or 4 mo on ICR and TG mice, respectively. FG extract treatment resulted in a significant recovery of memory function in both animal models. Brain soluble Aβ42 levels measured from the cerebral cortex of TG mice were significantly reduced by the FG extract treatment. These findings extract was prepared by steaming and fermenting ginseng. of Aβ42 protein, which results in enhanced behavioral memory function, thus, suggesting that FG extract may be an effective preventive or treatment for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joonki Kim
- Natural Medicine Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340, Korea
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35
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Cho IH. Effects of Panax ginseng in Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Ginseng Res 2013; 36:342-53. [PMID: 23717136 PMCID: PMC3659610 DOI: 10.5142/jgr.2012.36.4.342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2012] [Revised: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ginseng, the root of the Panax ginseng, has been a popular and widely-used traditional herbal medicine in Korea, China, and Japan for thousands of years. Now it has become popular as a functional health food and is used globally as a natural medicine. Evidence is accumulating in the literature on the physiological and pharmacological effects of P. ginseng on neurodegenerative diseases. Possible ginseng- or ginsenosides-mediated neuroprotective mechanisms mainly involve maintaining homeostasis, and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and immune-stimulatory activities. This review considers publications dealing with the various actions of P. ginseng that are indicative of possible neurotherapeutic efficacies in neurodegenerative diseases and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ik-Hyun Cho
- Department of Anatomy, College of Oriental Medicine and Institute of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea
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Kim HJ, Kim P, Shin CY. A comprehensive review of the therapeutic and pharmacological effects of ginseng and ginsenosides in central nervous system. J Ginseng Res 2013; 37:8-29. [PMID: 23717153 PMCID: PMC3659622 DOI: 10.5142/jgr.2013.37.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2012] [Revised: 07/30/2012] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in human. Central nervous system (CNS) diseases are most widely investigated diseases among all others in respect to the ginseng’s therapeutic effects. These include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral ischemia, depression, and many other neurological disorders including neurodevelopmental disorders. Not only the various types of diseases but also the diverse array of target pathways or molecules ginseng exerts its effect on. These range, for example, from neuroprotection to the regulation of synaptic plasticity and from regulation of neuroinflammatory processes to the regulation of neurotransmitter release, too many to mention. In general, ginseng and even a single compound of ginsenoside produce its effects on multiple sites of action, which make it an ideal candidate to develop multi-target drugs. This is most important in CNS diseases where multiple of etiological and pathological targets working together to regulate the final pathophysiology of diseases. In this review, we tried to provide comprehensive information on the pharmacological and therapeutic effects of ginseng and ginsenosides on neurodegenerative and other neurological diseases. Side by side comparison of the therapeutic effects in various neurological disorders may widen our understanding of the therapeutic potential of ginseng in CNS diseases and the possibility to develop not only symptomatic drugs but also disease modifying reagents based on ginseng.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Jin Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine and Advanced Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea
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Karpagam V, Sathishkumar N, Sathiyamoorthy S, Rasappan P, Shila S, Kim YJ, Yang DC. Identification of BACE1 inhibitors from Panax ginseng saponins-An Insilco approach. Comput Biol Med 2013; 43:1037-44. [PMID: 23816176 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2013.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACE1, a β secretase candidate enzyme, initiates the Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis via amyloid β (Aβ) peptide production serving as a potential therapeutic target. Previous experimental evidence suggested that ginsenosides, a key component of Panax ginseng, are effective against AD. In this study, we implemented a molecular modeling method to reveal the inhibitory action of ginsenosides on BACE1 activity. We selected 12 ginsenosides and performed molecular docking studies to evaluate its interaction with the BACE1 active site, which is essential for inhibition. Further ADMET filtration was applied to find drug-like molecules with a specific ability to cross blood brain barrier (BBB), and to determine toxicity. The BACE1-ginsenosides complex was further subjected to a molecular dynamics simulation to study the stability of the complex and its hydrogen bond interactions. In summary, our findings show ginsenosides CK, F1, Rh1 and Rh2 are potential BACE1 inhibitors from Panax ginseng.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerappan Karpagam
- Department of Biochemistry, VRR Institute of Biomedical Science, Chennai-600056, Tamilnadu, India.
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Amyloidosis in Alzheimer's Disease: The Toxicity of Amyloid Beta (A β ), Mechanisms of Its Accumulation and Implications of Medicinal Plants for Therapy. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2013; 2013:413808. [PMID: 23762130 PMCID: PMC3671299 DOI: 10.1155/2013/413808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2012] [Revised: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to memory deficits and death. While the number of individuals with AD is rising each year due to the longer life expectancy worldwide, current therapy can only somewhat relieve the symptoms of AD. There is no proven medication to cure or prevent the disease, possibly due to a lack of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis. Most previous studies have accepted the “amyloid hypothesis,” in which the neuropathogenesis of AD is believed to be triggered by the accumulation of the toxic amyloid beta (Aβ) protein in the central nervous system (CNS). Lately, knowledge that may be critical to unraveling the hidden pathogenic pathway of AD has been revealed. This review concentrates on the toxicity of Aβ and the mechanism of accumulation of this toxic protein in the brain of individuals with AD and also summarizes recent advances in the study of these accumulation mechanisms together with the role of herbal medicines that could facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic and preventive strategies.
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Natarajan S, Shunmugiah KP, Kasi PD. Plants traditionally used in age-related brain disorders (dementia): an ethanopharmacological survey. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2013; 51:492-523. [PMID: 23336528 DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2012.738423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Epidemiological studies have shown that despite mortality due to communicable diseases, poverty and human conflicts, the incidence of dementia increases in the developing world in tandem with the ageing population. Although some FDA approved drugs are available for the treatment of dementia, the outcomes are often unsatisfactory. In traditional practices of medicine, numerous plants have been used to treat cognitive disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other memory-related disorders. In western medicine most of the drugs used for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders are derived from plant sources. OBJECTIVE This article reviews plants and their active constituents that have been used for their reputed cognitive-enhancing and antidementia effects. METHODS A literature survey in Science Direct, Pubmed, and Google Scholar was performed to gather information regarding drug discovery from plants sources for the treatment of congnitive disorders and dementia. RESULTS More than forty herbal remedies were identified with cholinesterase inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, or antioxidant activities. Bioactive compounds include alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, terpenoids, and essential oils. About eleven herbal plants with multipotent activity against AD are discussed. CONCLUSION Literature surveys show that most of the research has been conducted on herbal remedies effect on cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Studies regarding the effect of herbal drugs on β-secretase inhibitory activity and antiaggregation property are lacking. This review provides leads for identifying potential new drugs from plant sources for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suganthy Natarajan
- Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
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Quan Q, Wang J, Li X, Wang Y. Ginsenoside Rg1 decreases Aβ(1-42) level by upregulating PPARγ and IDE expression in the hippocampus of a rat model of Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59155. [PMID: 23520555 PMCID: PMC3592813 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2012] [Accepted: 02/11/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose The present study was designed to examine the effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) in the hippocampus of rat model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) to determine how ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) decreases Aβ levels in AD. Experimental Approach Experimental AD was induced in rats by a bilateral injection of 10 µg soluble beta-amyloid peptide 1–42 (Aβ1–42) into the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and the rats were treated with Rg1 (10 mg·kg−1, intraperitoneally) for 28 days. The Morris water maze was used to test spatial learning and memory performance. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to analyze the hippocampal histopathological damage. Immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and real-time PCR were used to detect Aβ1–42, PPARγ, and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) expression in the hippocampus. Key Results Injection of soluble Aβ1–42 into the hippocampus led to significant dysfunction of learning and memory, hippocampal histopathological abnormalities and increased Aβ1–42 levels in the hippocampus. Rg1 treatment significantly improved learning and memory function, attenuated hippocampal histopathological abnormalities, reduced Aβ1–42 levels and increased PPARγ and IDE expression in the hippocampus; these effects of Rg1 could be effectively inhibited by GW9662, a PPARγ antagonist. Conclusions and Implications Given that PPARγ can upregulate IDE expression and IDE can degrade Aβ1–42, these results indicate that Rg1 can increase IDE expression in the hippocampus by upregulating PPARγ, leading to decreased Aβ levels, attenuated hippocampal histopathological abnormalities and improved learning and memory in a rat model of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- QianKun Quan
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, National Engineering Research Center of Health Care and Medical Devices, Xi'an Jiaotong University Branch, Xi'an, China
| | - Jue Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, National Engineering Research Center of Health Care and Medical Devices, Xi'an Jiaotong University Branch, Xi'an, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Xi Li
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Yi Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, National Engineering Research Center of Health Care and Medical Devices, Xi'an Jiaotong University Branch, Xi'an, China
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He P, Li P, Hua Q, Liu Y, Staufenbiel M, Li R, Shen Y. Chronic administration of anti-stroke herbal medicine TongLuoJiuNao reduces amyloidogenic processing of amyloid precursor protein in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58181. [PMID: 23472157 PMCID: PMC3589383 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Composed of Ginsenoside Rg1 and Geniposide, the herbal medicine TongLuoJiuNao (TLJN) injection liquid has anti-inflammatory properties and can improve learning and memory in mice. Recently, TLJN has been used to treat the patients with cerebral ischemic stroke and vascular dementia, which significantly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the early human beings. Although beneficial effects of TLJN have been reported in the vascular-associated brain disorders, the roles of TLJN in AD brains are still not clear. In this study, we chronically administered TLJN in amyloid precursor protein (APP) Swedish mutant transgenic mice (APP23) from 6 months old of age, which is at the onset of Aβ plaques, to 12 months old. We found that TLJN significantly decreased Aβ production and deposition in the brain of APP23 mice. Furthermore, we observed that TLJN down-regulated the levels and activity of β-secretase 1 (BACE1) protein as well as the expression levels of γ-secretase complex components: PS1, nicastrin and anterior pharynx-defective 1 (APH1) but not presenilin enhancer 2 (PEN2). The results suggest an inhibitory effect of TLJN on amyloidogenic APP processing by down-regulating the cleavage enzymes BACE1 and γ-secretase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping He
- Center for Advanced Therapeutic Strategies of Brain Disorders, Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Pengtao Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Hua
- Department of Pathology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Pathology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | | | - Rena Li
- Center for Hormone Advanced Science and Education, Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Yong Shen
- Center for Advanced Therapeutic Strategies of Brain Disorders, Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wang YH, Xuan ZH, Tian S, He GR, Du GH. Myricitrin attenuates 6-hydroxydopamine-induced mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in PC12 cells via inhibition of mitochondrial oxidation. J Funct Foods 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2012.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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Jiang B, Xiong Z, Yang J, Wang W, Wang Y, Hu ZL, Wang F, Chen JG. Antidepressant-like effects of ginsenoside Rg1 are due to activation of the BDNF signalling pathway and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Br J Pharmacol 2012; 166:1872-87. [PMID: 22335772 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.01902.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) is one of the major bioactive ingredients of Panax ginseng with little toxicity and has been shown to have neuroprotective effects. In this study, we investigated the antidepressant-like effect of Rg1 in models of depression in mice. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The effects of Rg1 were assessed in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in mice. Rg1 was also investigated in the chronic mild stress (CMS) mouse model of depression with imipramine as the positive control. Changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and spine density, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signalling pathway, and serum corticosterone level after chronic stress and Rg1 treatment were then investigated. The tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor and the tyrosine kinase B inhibitor were also used to explore the antidepressive mechanisms of Rg1. KEY RESULTS Ginsenoside Rg1 exhibited antidepressant-like activity in the FST and TST in mice without affecting locomotor activity. It was also effective in the CMS model of depression. Furthermore, Rg1 up-regulated the BDNF signalling pathway in the hippocampus and down-regulated serum corticosterone level during the CMS procedure. In addition, Rg1 was able to reverse the decrease in dendritic spine density and hippocampal neurogenesis caused by CMS. However, Rg1 had no discernable effect on the monoaminergic system. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results provide the first evidence that Rg1 has antidepressant activity via activation of the BDNF signalling pathway and up-regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Zhang X, Wang J, Xing Y, Gong L, Li H, Wu Z, Li Y, Wang J, Wang Y, Dong L, Li S. Effects of ginsenoside Rg1 or 17β-estradiol on a cognitively impaired, ovariectomized rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Neuroscience 2012; 220:191-200. [PMID: 22728092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Revised: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Ginsenoside Rg1, which could improve spatial learning and memory, might be a useful agent for preventing and treating cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study was designed to test the neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on an ovariectomized (OVX) and d-galactose (d-gal)-injected rat model of AD, which is characterized with progressive learning and memory deficits, AD-related molecules alteration and differentiation/apoptosis imbalance in hippocampal neurons. OVX Wistar rats received daily injections of d-gal (100mg/kg) combined with different concentrations of ginsenoside Rg1 (5, 10, 20mg/kg) or 17-β-estradiol (E2, 100 μg/kg), or normal saline (NS, 1.0 ml/kg) for 6 weeks. Ovarian steroid deprivation plus d-gal injection led to spatial learning and memory capacity impairments, as well as increased Aβ(1-42) production. Ginsenoside Rg1 and E2-treatment significantly ameliorated these deteriorations in AD rats. Seven weeks after surgery, α-secretase a disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain 10 (ADAM 10) in hippocampus of AD rats was dramatically decreased, while β-secretase β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE 1) increased compared with those in sham-operated ones (P<0.05). Levels of cleaved caspase 3 were increased in the hippocampus of AD rats. Ginsenoside Rg1 and E2-treatment increased ADAM 10 level while reduced BACE 1 level and apoptosis. Moreover, moderate i.e. 10mg/kg/d and high i.e. 20mg/kg/d ginsenoside Rg1 displayed more effective function than low i.e. 5mg/kg/d ginsenoside Rg1. Our findings demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 and E2 on AD rats and support the potential application of ginsenoside Rg1 in the treatment of learning and memory impairments in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Integrated Western Medicine, Qi Lu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, PR China
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Nacheva KP, Maza WA, Myers DZ, Fronczek FR, Larsen RW, Manetsch R. Fluorescent properties and resonance energy transfer of 3,4-bis(2,4-difluorophenyl)-maleimide. Org Biomol Chem 2012; 10:7840-6. [DOI: 10.1039/c2ob25981h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Chen LM, Lin ZY, Zhu YG, Lin N, Zhang J, Pan XD, Chen XC. Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates β-amyloid generation via suppressing PPARγ-regulated BACE1 activity in N2a-APP695 cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2011; 675:15-21. [PMID: 22166376 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2011.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2011] [Revised: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 11/27/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The level of β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) has been documented to increase in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, which has resulted in elevation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides. As a transcription factor binding site of the BACE1 promoter, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) response element regulates the activity of the BACE1 promoter activity, indicating that PPARγ may become a potential target for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg1 which is an effective component of extracts of ginseng can prevent memory loss and improve cognitive function in a variety of animal models. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we found that Rg1 decreased the levels of Aβ₁₋₄₀ and Aβ₁₋₄₂ secreted in N2a-APP695 cells. The expression levels of both BACE1 mRNA and protein as well as β-CTFs, a cleavaged C-terminal fragment of APP by BACE1, were reduced in cells treated with Rg1. Moreover, Rg1 treatment led to a translocation of PPARγ from cytoplasm to nuclear. Intriguingly, Rg1, like pioglitazone (a PPARγ agonist), suppressed BACE1 activity in N2a-APP695 cells, while its effect on BACE1 activity was attenuated by GW9662 (a PPARγ antagonist). These results indicate that Rg1 may be a PPARγ agonist to enhance the binding of nuclear PPARγ to the BACE1 promoter, which may in turn inhibit the transcription and translation of BACE1, suppress the activity of BACE1, and ultimately attenuate Aβ generation. Therefore, ginsenoside Rg1 may serve as a promising agent in modulating Aβ-related pathology in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Min Chen
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Institute of Geriatrics, the Affiliated Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, People's Republic of China
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Obulesu M, Venu R, Somashekhar R. Lipid peroxidation in Alzheimer's disease: emphasis on metal-mediated neurotoxicity. Acta Neurol Scand 2011; 124:295-301. [PMID: 21303349 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01483.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Despite the crucial role of redox active metals like copper and iron in central biological reactions, their elevated levels are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Similarly reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) produced during normal metabolic activities, specifically oxidative phosphorylation of the cell, are scavenged by antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase but impaired metabolic pathways tend to generate elevated levels of these ROS/RNS. Iron, copper, and zinc are some of the metals, which intensify this process and contribute for the pathogenesis of AD. This review summarizes the mechanism of ROS/RNS production and their role in lipid peroxidation. The factors, which make brain vulnerable for lipid peroxidation, have been discussed. It also focuses on possible treatment options and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Obulesu
- Department of Biotechnology, Capital College, Bangalore, India.
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Sun L, Guo C, Liu D, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Song Z, Han H, Chen D, Zhao Y. Protective effects of bone morphogenetic protein 7 against amyloid-beta induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. Neuroscience 2011; 184:151-63. [PMID: 21496477 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.03.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2010] [Revised: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/26/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) has neuroprotective effects against ischemia, oxidation stress, and lipopolysaccharide, but its role on amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we exposed PC12 cells to Aβ25-35 for 26 h to induce neurotoxicity, and added exogenous BMP7 at 2 h to observe the neuroprotective effects. The protective mechanisms involved, mostly related to inhibition of cell apoptosis and oxidation stress, were analyzed. In rat in vivo experiments, we bilaterally injected Aβ1-40 into the basal forebrain to simulate neuropathological processes in AD, performed the Morris water maze test to evaluate the effect of Aβ on spatial learning and memory, and explored the change of endogenous BMP7 expression in the brain. The present study demonstrated that BMP7 prevented neuronal injuries in PC12 cells induced by Aβ25-35, including cell apoptosis and morphological impairment of dendrites as well as oxidation stress. BMP7 treatment significantly protected PC12 cells against Aβ25-35-induced injury and inhibited the increasing content of the Bax gene and the decreasing activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Aβ1-40 bilaterally injected into the rat basal forebrain obviously inhibited the rat's spatial learning ability and memory, and significantly induced downregulation of endogenous BMP7 in the basal forebrain while upregulating it in the hippocampus. Our results suggest that BMP7 has neuroprotective effects against Aβ, which may be mediated through inhibition of Bax gene expression during cell apoptosis and elevation of SOD activities during the oxidative stress response. On the other hand, endogenous BMP7 may have a potential self-modulation capacity through negative feedback between the region of the basal forebrain and the hippocampus as a protective cytokine.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Sun
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine No. 600 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200080, China
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Eckert GP. Traditional used Plants against Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer Disease. Front Pharmacol 2010; 1:138. [PMID: 21833177 PMCID: PMC3153012 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2010.00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized clinically by progressive memory deficits, impaired cognitive function, and altered and inappropriate behavior. Aging represents the most important risk factor for AD and the global trend in the phenomenon of population aging has dramatic consequences for public health, healthcare financing, and delivery systems in the word and, especially in developing countries. Mounting evidence obtained in in vitro and in vivo studies, suggests that various traditionally used plants in Asia, India, and Europe significantly affect key metabolic alterations culminating in AD-typical neurodegeneration. The present article aims to bring the reader up-to-date on the most recent studies and advances describing the direct and indirect activities of traditional used plants and its constituents possibly relieving features of AD. A variety of traditional used plants and its extracts exerted activities on AD related drug targets including AChE activity, antioxidative activity, modulation of Aβ-producing secretase activities, Aβ-degradation, heavy metal chelating, induction of neurotrophic factors, and cell death mechanisms. Although pre-clinical investigations identified promising drug candidates for AD, clinical evidences are still pending.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunter Peter Eckert
- Department of Pharmacology, Campus Riedberg, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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