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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-associated nervous system disorder and a leading cause of dementia
worldwide. Clinically it is described by cognitive impairment, and pathophysiologically by deposition of amyloid plaques
and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain and neurodegeneration. This article reviews the pathophysiology, course of
neuronal degeneration, and the various possible hypothesis of AD progression. These hypotheses include amyloid
cascade, tau hyperphosphorylation, cholinergic disruption, metal dysregulation, vascular dysfunction, oxidative stress, and
neuroinflammation. There is an exponential increase in the occurrence of the AD in recent few years that indicate an
urgent need to develop some effective treatment. Currently, only 2 classes of drugs are available for AD treatment namely
acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and NMDA receptor antagonist. Since AD is a complex neurological disorder and these
drugs use a single target approach, alternatives are needed due to limited effectiveness and unpleasant side-effects of these
drugs. Currently, plants have been used for drug development research especially because of their multiple sites of action
and fewer side effects. Uses of some herbs and phytoconstituents for the management of neuronal disorders like AD have
been documented in this article. Phytochemical screening of these plants shows the presence of many beneficial
constituents like flavonoids, triterpenes, alkaloids, sterols, polyphenols, and tannins. These compounds show a wide array
of pharmacological activities such as anti-amyloidogenic, anticholinesterase, and antioxidant. This article summarizes the
present understanding of AD progression and gathers biochemical evidence from various works on natural products that
can be useful in the management of this disease.
Pharmacological and Neuroprotective Natural Products in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
