Natural product-based nanomedicine: Recent advances and issues for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Choy Ker Woon ◽  
Wong Kah Hui ◽  
Razif Abas ◽  
Muhammad Huzaimi Haron ◽  
Srijit Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Natural Products ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Drug Transport ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Progressive Neurodegeneration ◽  
The Brain

: Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the elderly and is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration caused by different pathologies. The most significant challenges in treating AD include the inability of medications to reach the brain because of its poor solubility, low bioavailability, and the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, current evidence suggests the disruption of BBB plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. One of the critical challenges in treating AD is the ineffective treatments and its severe adverse effects. Nanotechnology offers an alternative approach to facilitate the treatment of AD by overcoming the challenges in drug transport across the BBB. Various nanoparticles (NP) loaded with natural products were reported to aid in drug delivery for the treatment of AD. The nano- sized entities of NP are great platforms for incorporating active materials from natural products into formulations that can be delivered effectively to the intended action site without compromising the material’s bioactivity. The review highlights the applications of medicinal plants, their derived components, and various nanomedicine-based approaches for the treatment of AD. The combination of medicinal plants and nanotechnology may lead to new theragnostic solutions for the treatment of AD in the future.

scholarly journals Natural products and their derived compounds inhibitors of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase

2020 ◽  
pp. 149-160
Author(s):  
Maha Z. Rizk ◽  
Hanan F. Aly
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Natural Products ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Plant Extracts ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Neurodegenerative Pathology ◽  
The Brain

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative pathology that primarily affects the elderly population, and is estimated to account for 50-60% of dementia cases in persons over 65 years of age. The main characteristics connected with AD implicate the dysfunction of cognitive role, mainly loss of memory. While, the main features linked with AD at later stages include deficits of language, depression and problems associated with behavior. One of the most important approaches for medication of this disease is to improve level of the acetylcholine in the brain tissues using inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The present work reviews the literature on natural products from plants and plant-derived compounds inhibitors of enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; Secondary metabolites; Plant extracts; essential oils

Integrated Biomarkers for Depression in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Critical Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Wenzler ◽  
Christian Knochel ◽  
Ceylan Balaban ◽  
Dominik Kraft ◽  
Juliane Kopf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Manifestation ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Control Functional

Depression is a common neuropsychiatric manifestation among Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. It may compromise everyday activities and lead to a faster cognitive decline as well as worse quality of life. The identification of promising biomarkers may therefore help to timely initiate and improve the treatment of preclinical and clinical states of AD, and to improve the long-term functional outcome. In this narrative review, we report studies that investigated biomarkers for AD-related depression. Genetic findings state AD-related depression as a rather complex, multifactorial trait with relevant environmental and inherited contributors. However, one specific set of genes, the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), specifically the Val66Met polymorphism, may play a crucial role in AD-related depression. Regarding neuroimaging markers, the most promising findings reveal structural impairments in the cortico-subcortical networks that are related to affect regulation and reward / aversion control. Functional imaging studies reveal abnormalities in predominantly frontal and temporal regions. Furthermore, CSF based biomarkers are seen as potentially promising for the diagnostic process showing abnormalities in metabolic pathways that contribute to AD-related depression. However, there is a need for standardization of methodological issues and for replication of current evidence with larger cohorts and prospective studies.

scholarly journals Immunosenescence of Natural Killer Cells, Inflammation, and Alzheimer’s Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corona Solana ◽  
Raquel Tarazona ◽  
Rafael Solana
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Lymphoid Cells ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
The Brain

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. AD is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Although the aetiology of AD is not clear, both environmental factors and heritable predisposition may contribute to disease occurrence. In addition, inflammation and immune system alterations have been linked to AD. The prevailing hypothesis as cause of AD is the deposition in the brain of amyloid beta peptides (Aβ). Although Aβ have a role in defending the brain against infections, their accumulation promotes an inflammatory response mediated by microglia and astrocytes. The production of proinflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and complement factors favours the recruitment of peripheral immune cells further promoting neuroinflammation. Age-related inflammation and chronic infection with herpes virus such as cytomegalovirus may also contribute to inflammation in AD patients. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphoid cells involved in host defence against viral infections and tumours. Once activated NK cells secrete cytokines such as IFN-γ and TNF-α and chemokines and exert cytotoxic activity against target cells. In the elderly, changes in NK cell compartment have been described which may contribute to the lower capacity of elderly individuals to respond to pathogens and tumours. Recently, the role of NK cells in the immunopathogenesis of AD is discussed. Although in AD patients the frequency of NK cells is not affected, a high NK cell response to cytokines has been described together with NK cell dysregulation of signalling pathways which is in part involved in this altered behaviour.

Metabolomic Alterations in the Blood and Brain in Association with Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidence from in vivo to Clinical Studies

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Sirawit Sriwichaiin ◽  
Nipon Chattipakorn ◽  
Siriporn C. Chattipakorn
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Pathological Findings ◽  
Major Health Problem ◽  
Major Health ◽  
The Brain

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become a major health problem among the elderly population. Some evidence suggests that metabolic disturbance possibly plays a role in the pathophysiology of AD. Currently, the study of metabolomics has been used to explore changes in multiple metabolites in several diseases, including AD. Thus, the metabolomics research in AD might provide some information regarding metabolic dysregulations, and their possible associated pathophysiology. This review summarizes the information discovered regarding the metabolites in the brain and the blood from the metabolomics research of AD from both animal and clinical studies. Additionally, the correlation between the changes in metabolites and outcomes, such as pathological findings in the brain and cognitive impairment are discussed. We also deliberate on the findings of cohort studies, demonstrating the alterations in metabolites before changes of cognitive function. All of these findings can be used to inform the potential identity of specific metabolites as possible biomarkers for AD.

scholarly journals The Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Tan Sook Ling ◽  
Shanthini Chandrasegaran ◽  
Low Zhi Xuan ◽  
Tong Li Suan ◽  
Elaine Elaine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Amyloid Plaques ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Drug Bioavailability ◽  
Potential Toxicity ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Brain

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. Currently, there is no definitive cure available to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The available medication in the market has the ability to only slow down its progression. However, nanotechnology has shown its superiority that can be applied for medical usage and it has a great potential in the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease, specifically in the disease diagnosis and providing an alternative approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease. This is done by increasing the efficiency of drug delivery by penetrating and overcoming the blood-brain barrier. Having said that, there are limitations that need to be further investigated and researched in order to minimize the adverse effects and potential toxicity and to improve drug bioavailability. The recent advances in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease using nanotechnology include the regeneration of stem cells, nanomedicine, and neuroprotection. In this review, we will discuss the advancement of nanotechnology which helps in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease as well as its challenges.

scholarly journals Predicting Brain Regions Related to Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Global Feature

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Wang ◽  
Siwei Chen ◽  
He Wang ◽  
Luzeng Chen ◽  
Yongan Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Imaging Method ◽  
Global Feature ◽  
Objective Monitoring ◽  
The Brain

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly, early diagnosis and timely treatment are very important to delay the course of the disease. In the past, most of the brain regions related to AD were identified based on the imaging method, which can only identify some atrophic brain regions. In this work, we used mathematical models to find out the potential brain regions related to AD. First, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct the brain structural network. Next, we set a new local feature index 2hop-connectivity to measure the correlation among different areas. And for this, we proposed a novel algorithm named 2hopRWR to measure 2hop-connectivity. At last, we proposed a new index GFS (Global Feature Score) based on global feature by combing 5 local features: degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, the number of maximal cliques, and 2hop-connectivity, to judge which brain regions are likely related to Alzheimer’s Disease. As a result, all the top ten brain regions in GFS scoring difference between the AD group and the non-AD group were related to AD by literature verification. Finally, the results of the canonical correlation analysis showed that the GFS was significantly correlated with the scores of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scale and montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scale. So, we believe the GFS can also be used as a new index to assist in diagnosis and objective monitoring of disease progression. Besides, the method proposed in this paper can be used as a differential network analysis method in other areas of network analysis.

Gut Microbiota and Alzheimer’s Disease: Experimental Evidence and Clinical Reality

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarama Saha ◽  
Sukhpal Singh ◽  
Suvarna Prasad ◽  
Amit Mittal ◽  
Anil Kumar Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Bacterial Flora ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain

: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive death of neuronal cells in the regions of the brain concerned with memory and cognition, and is the major cause of dementia in the elderly population. Various molecular mechanisms, metabolic risk factors and environmental triggers contributing to the genesis and progression of AD are under intense investigations. The present review has dealt with the impact of a highly discussed topic of gut microbiota affecting the neurodegeneration in the AD brain. A detailed description of the composition of gut bacterial flora and its interaction with the host has been presented, followed by an analysis of key concepts of bi- directional communication between gut microbiota and the brain. The substantial experimental evidence of gut microbiota affecting the neurodegenerative process in experimental AD models has been described next in this review, and finally, the limitations of such experimental studies vis-a- vis the actual disease and the paucity of clinical data on this topic have also been mentioned.

Differences in EEG Harmonic Driving Responses to Photic Stimulation between Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Disease

2002 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitsuru Kikuchi ◽  
Yuji Wada ◽  
Yoshifumi Koshino
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Normal Aging ◽  
Photic Stimulation ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Absolute Power ◽  
The Brain

In order to investigate whether Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the end result of aging of the brain or the result of some other mechanism, we analyzed EEGs showing the absolute power of harmonic responses to photic stimulation (PS) in younger subjects, non-demented elderly subjects and AD patients. At rest, the AD patients generally showed less absolute power than the younger and elderly subjects, with significant differences found at 10Hz and 20Hz. Analysis of EEGs recorded during PS indicated that the elderly subjects generally demonstrated more absolute power than the younger subjects and AD patients. These findings suggest a failure of stimulation-related brain activation in AD patients, and provide further evidence that normal aging and AD employ different mechanisms for functional organization during PS.

Natural product for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Tung Bui ◽  
Thanh Hai Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Natural Products ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disease ◽  
Natural Product ◽  
Natural Compound ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is related to increasing age. It is mainly characterized by progressive neurodegenerative disease, which damages memory and cognitive function. Natural products offer many options to reduce the progress and symptoms of many kinds of diseases, including AD. Meanwhile, natural compound structures, including lignans, flavonoids, tannins, polyphenols, triterpenes, sterols, and alkaloids, have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-amyloidogenic, and anticholinesterase activities. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis and targets for treatment of AD. We also present several medicinal plants and isolated compounds that are used for preventing and reducing symptoms of AD.

The contribution of astrocytes to Alzheimer's disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 1316-1320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy M. Birch
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Amyloid Β Peptide ◽  
Substantial Evidence ◽  
Supporting Cells ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
The Brain

Astrocytes were historically classified as supporting cells; however, it is becoming increasingly clear that they actively contribute to neuronal functioning under normal and pathological conditions. As interest in the contribution of neuroinflammation to Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression has grown, manipulating glial cells has become an attractive target for future therapies. Astrocytes have largely been under-represented in studies that assess the role of glia in these processes, despite substantial evidence of astrogliosis in AD. The actual role of astrocytes in AD remains elusive, as they seem to adopt different functions dependent on disease progression and the extent of accompanying parenchymal inflammation. Astrocytes may contribute to the clearance of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and restrict the spread of inflammation in the brain. Conversely, they may contribute to neurodegeneration in AD by releasing neurotoxins and neglecting crucial metabolic roles. The present review summarizes current evidence on the multi-faceted functions of astrocytes in AD, highlighting the significant scope available for future therapeutic targets.

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