scholarly journals The Use of Herbal Medicine in Alzheimer's Disease—A Systematic Review

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leopoldo Luiz dos Santos-Neto ◽  
Maria Alice de Vilhena Toledo ◽  
Patrícia Medeiros-Souza ◽  
Gustavo Almeida de Souza

The treatments of choice in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA-receptor antagonists, although doubts remain about the therapeutic effectiveness of these drugs. Herbal medicine products have been used in the treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) but with various responses. The objective of this article was to review evidences from controlled studies in order to determine whether herbs can be useful in the treatment of cognitive disorders in the elderly. Randomized controlled studies assessing AD in individuals older than 65 years were identified through searches of MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane Library, dissertation Abstract (USA), ADEAR (Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials Database), National Research Register, Current Controlled trials, Centerwatch Trials Database and PsychINFO Journal Articles. The search combined the terms Alzheimer disease, dementia, cognition disorders, Herbal, Phytotherapy. The crossover results were evaluated by the Jadad's measurement scale. The systematic review identified two herbs and herbal formulations with therapeutic effects for the treatment of AD:Melissa officinalis,Salvia officinalisand Yi-Gan San and BDW (Ba Wei Di Huang Wan).Ginkgo bilobawas identified in a meta-analysis study. All five herbs are useful for cognitive impairment of AD.M. officinalisand Yi-Gan San are also useful in agitation, for they have sedative effects. These herbs and formulations have demonstrated good therapeutic effectiveness but these results need to be compared with those of traditional drugs. Further large multicenter studies should be conducted in order to test the cost-effectiveness of these herbs for AD and the impact in the control of cognitive deterioration.

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Clegg ◽  
Jackie Bryant ◽  
Tricia Nicholson ◽  
Linda McIntyre ◽  
Sofie De Broe ◽  
...  

Objectives: Systematic review of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease.Methods: Sixteen electronic databases (including MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and Embase) and bibliographies of related papers were searched for published/unpublished English language studies, and experts and pharmaceutical companies were consulted for additional information. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and economic studies were selected. Clinical effectiveness was assessed on measurement scales assessing progression of Alzheimer's disease on the person's global health, cognition, functional ability, behavior and mood, and quality of life. Cost-effectiveness was presented as incremental cost per year spent in a nonsevere state (by Mini Mental Health State Examination) or quality-adjusted life-year.Results: Twelve of 15 RCTs included were judged to be of good quality. Although donepezil had beneficial effects in Alzheimer's patients on global health and cognition, rivastigmine on global health, and galantamine on global health, cognition, and functional scales, these improvements were small and may not be clinically significant. Measures of quality of life and behavior and mood were rarely assessed. Adverse effects were usually mild and transient. Cost-effectiveness base case estimates ranged from £2,415 savings to £49,476 additional cost (1997 prices) per unit of effect for donepezil and a small savings for rivastigmine. Estimates were not considered robust or generalizable.Conclusions: Donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine appear to have some clinical effect for people with Alzheimer's disease, although the extent to which these translate into real differences in everyday life remains unclear. Due to the nature of current economic studies, cost-effectiveness remains uncertain and the impact on different care sectors has been inadequately investigated. Further research is needed to establish the actual benefits of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEls) for people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers, the relationship of these changes to clinical management, and careful prospective evaluation of resource and budgetary consequences.


Author(s):  
Leslie Borsa ◽  
Margaux Dubois ◽  
Guillaume Sacco ◽  
Laurence Lupi

The hypothesis of an infectious connection from the oro-pharyngeal sphere to the brain underlines the interest in analyzing the link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the link between Alzheimer’s disease and periodontal disease in patients aged 65 and over. Databases (PubMed (MEDLINE), the Cochrane Library, and Embase) were analyzed for relevant references up to 21 June 2021. The authors independently selected the studies and extracted the data. The quality of included studies was checked using the National Institutes of Health’s quality assessment tools. Five studies were included. The selected studies described in their results an increase in F. nucleatum in Alzheimer’s disease patients (adjusted p = 0.02), and its incidence was linked to C. rectus and P. gingivalis (adjusted HR = 1.22 (1.04–1.43), p = 0.012) as well as A. naeslundii (crude HR = 2.0 (1.1–3.8)). The presence of periodontitis at baseline was associated with a six-fold increase in the rate of cognitive decline over a 6-month follow-up period (ADAS-Cog mean change = 2.9 ± 6.6). The current review suggests an association between periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment of periodontal disease could be a way to explore Alzheimer’s disease prevention.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 406-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ianara Mendonça da Costa ◽  
Marco Aurelio de Moura Freire ◽  
José Rodolfo Lopes de Paiva Cavalcanti ◽  
Dayane Pessoa de Araújo ◽  
Bianca Norrara ◽  
...  

Background: The formation of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of the tau protein are the main pathological mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Current therapies for AD offer discrete benefits to the clinical symptoms and do not prevent the continuing degeneration of neuronal cells. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies have long been investigated, where curcumin (Curcuma longa) has shown some properties that can prevent the deleterious processes involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Objective: The aim of the present work is to review studies that addressed the effects of curcumin in experimental models (in vivo and in vitro) for AD. Method: This study is a systematic review conducted between January and June 2017, in which a consultation of scientific articles from indexed periodicals was carried out in Science Direct, United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Cochrane Library and Scielo databases, using the following descriptors: “Curcuma longa”, “Curcumin” and “Alzheimer’s disease”. Results: A total of 32 studies were analyzed, which indicated that curcumin supplementation reverses neurotoxic and behavioral damages in both in vivo and in vitro models of AD. Conclusion: The administration of curcumin in experimental models seems to be a promising approach in AD, even though it is suggested that additional studies must be conducted using distinct doses and through other routes of administration.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1044-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Lennon ◽  
B Sytsma ◽  
A Mohit ◽  
S Patel

Abstract Objective The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system is heavily implicated in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), with substantial bases for ongoing research in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This system is directly tied to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This systematic review aims to accomplish the following objectives: 1) introduce noteworthy BPSD found in AD; 2) synthesize research on 5-HT and BPSD in AD; 3) discuss neuropsychological sequelae of serotonergic dysregulation in AD; and, 4) report future research directions. Data Selection Data Selection: We conducted a literature search of the Medline, PubMed, psychINFO, and Google Scholar databases using the following keywords: Alzheimer’s*, seroton* (serotonin, serotonergic), 5-HT* (5-HTR, 5-HTT*), neuropsychology, behavior*, cogniti*. From the list of studies obtained through this search, we then employed the following inclusion criteria: 1) individuals in study had a formal diagnosis of probable or suspected AD; 2) individuals in study had not previously experienced head trauma, recurrent seizure, or other neurological insult; 3) sample did not include participants with comorbid personality disorders. Data Synthesis Findings suggest that serotonin’s receptors (5-HTRs), transporter (5-HTT), metabolite (5-HTP), and transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) are linked to depression, anxiety, hyperactivity/impulsivity, aggression, and apathy in AD. Further, 5-HT and resultant BPSD are implicated in numerous cognitive functions including but not limited to decision-making, visual-spatial deficits, attention and vigilance, episodic memory, global cognitive function. Conclusions Substantial evidence exists implicating the serotonergic system in BPSD in AD. By understanding the impact of 5-HT on disease trajectory, neurocognitive functioning, and neuropsychological test performance, clinicians can ensure that appropriate recommendations are made for psychosocial and pharmacological intervention.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. P1214-P1214
Author(s):  
Joseph Martinez ◽  
Juanita A. Draime ◽  
Julia C. Gardner ◽  
Sarah E. Berman ◽  
Aleda M.H. Chen

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (03) ◽  
pp. 505-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Yang ◽  
Dan Dan Xu ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Xinyou Liu ◽  
Robin Hoeven ◽  
...  

We performed a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of natural medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Disease-specific and intervention terms were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and PsycINFO to identify RCTs for the AD intervention of natural medicines, and searched for literatures in English language. The RCTs compared natural medicines and either placebo or orthodox medication in AD patients. The quality of literature was evaluated by Jadad's score and the Cochrane assessing tool to reduce the risk of bias. Meta-analysis and the heterogeneity of results across the trials were performed. Out of the literatures, 21 clinical reports were included in this review that satisfied the particular selection criteria. Apart from Ginkgo, other treatments we came across had minimal benefits and/or the methodological quality of the available trials was poor. The meta-analyses showed that Ginkgo had better outcomes than the placebo, with the standardized mean difference (SMD) between Ginkgo and the placebo on cognition being -1.62 (95% CI: -2.69 to -0.56) and on activities of daily living being -1.55 (95% CI: -2.55 to -0.55), with the existence of significant heterogeneity across studies. The meta-analysis for assessing the prevention effect of Ginkgo against AD suggested that risk ratio (RR) is 1.06 (95% CI: 0.92 to 1.22) between Gingko and the placebo, with no significant heterogeneity across studies (test for heterogeneity, p = 0.49). Our results suggest that Ginkgo may help established AD patients with cognitive symptoms but cannot prevent the neurodegenerative progression of the disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grady Krisandi ◽  
Rejoel Mangasa Siagian ◽  
Karina Karina ◽  
Imam Rosadi

Context: Elderlies are more prone to neurodegenerative diseases. One of the most common neurodegenerative diseases with limited effective treatments available is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) with neuroregenerative and neuroprotective capabilities have shown great potential to serve as a potential cellular therapy for AD. Adipose-derived stem cells’ efficacy in the treatment of AD is evaluated in this systematic review. Data Sources: Literature search was performed via PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, and EBSCOhost databases, selecting studies which evaluated the effect of ADSCs on AD from inception to 6 August 2020. The SYRCLE Risk of Bias tool was used to assess pre-clinical studies in animal models, and MINORS Risk of Bias tool was used to assess non-randomized phase 1 clinical trials. Conclusions: Overall, seven studies, including two in-vitro studies, four in-vivo mice model studies, and one non-randomized phase 1 clinical trial, were included in this systematic review. Adipose-derived stem cells showed significant potential, proven by their neuroregenerative (i.e., increased neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, synaptic and dendritic stability, and cognitive and spatial skills) and neuroprotective capabilities (i..e., decreased Aβ concentration, APP-CT concentration, P-tau concentration, number of amyloid plaques, oxidative stress, and neuron apoptosis when exposed to Aβ). Adipose-derived stem cells demonstrated promising efficacy in treating AD patients.


2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Inês Vigo ◽  
Luis Coelho ◽  
Sara Reis

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has paramount importance due to its rising prevalence, the impact on the patient and society, and the related healthcare costs. However, current diagnostic techniques are not designed for frequent mass screening, delaying therapeutic intervention and worsening prognoses. To be able to detect AD at an early stage, ideally at a pre-clinical stage, speech analysis emerges as a simple low-cost non-invasive procedure. Objectives: In this work it is our objective to do a systematic review about speech-based detection and classification of Alzheimer’s Disease with the purpose of identifying the most effective algorithms and best practices. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed from Jan 2015 up to May 2020 using ScienceDirect, PubMed and DBLP. Articles were screened by title, abstract and full text as needed. A manual complementary search among the references of the included papers was also performed. Inclusion criteria and search strategies were defined a priori. Results: We were able: to identify the main resources that can support the development of decision support systems for AD, to list speech features that are correlated with the linguistic and acoustic footprint of the disease, to recognize the data models that can provide robust results and to observe the performance indicators that were reported. Discussion: A computational system with the adequate elements combination, based on the identified best-practices, can point to a whole new diagnostic approach, leading to better insights about AD symptoms and its disease patterns, creating conditions to promote a longer life span as well as an improvement in patient quality of life. The clinically relevant results that were identified can be used to establish a reference system and help to define research guidelines for future developments.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodong Chen ◽  
Yunfeng Luo

Abstract Background Serum ghrelin levels have been reported to be altered in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and individuals with Mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, whether serum ghrelin can be used as a biomarker of AD is inconsistent and conflicting. Methods We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the serum levels of ghrelin and acylated ghrelin (AG) in patients with AD or MCI, in comparison with normal controls (NC). We searched PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) from 1999 to March 2021. Results 10 relevant studies were included for this study. 8 studies reported serum levels of ghrelin (417 AD or MCI patients and 382 controls) and 5 studies reported serum levels of AG (142 AD or MCI patients and 152 controls). We found that AD and MCI patients had a tendency toward a decrease in the serum levels of ghrelin (SMD=-1.04; 95%CI (-2.30, 0.23); P = 0.11; significant heterogeneity: I2 = 98%), but no statistical significance was found. AG levels in the serum level of AD and MCI patients were significantly higher than NC subjects (SMD = 0.99; 95%CI (0.21, 1.77); P = 0.01; significant heterogeneity: I2 = 87%). Conclusion This meta-analysis suggested that AG may be a potential MCI or early AD biomarker and confirmed previous findings that ghrelin became desensitized in AD patients. This meta-analysis was limited to small sample sizes and lacked of stratifying the level of heterogeneity in AD and MCI patients. More and large sample, multi-center case-control studies on the relationship between serum AG and AD or MCI patients are still needed in the future.


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