scholarly journals Polyphenols as Potential Therapeutic Drugs in Neurodegeneration

Author(s):  
Patrizia Polverino de Laureto ◽  
Luana Palazzi ◽  
Laura Acquasaliente

Several therapeutic approaches have been suggested so far for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, but to date, there are no approved therapies. The available ones are only symptomatic; they are employed to mitigate the disease manifestations and to improve the patient life quality. These diseases are characterized by the accumulation and aggregation of misfolded proteins in the nervous system, with different specific hallmarks. The onset mechanisms are not completely elucidated. Some promising approaches are focused on the inhibition of the amyloid aggregation of the proteins involved in the etiopathology of the disease, such as Aβ peptide, Tau, and α-synuclein, or on the increase of their clearance in order to avoid their aberrant accumulation. Here, we summarize traditional and new therapeutic approaches proposed for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and the recent technologies for brain delivery.

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 146
Author(s):  
Abdelaziz Ghanemi ◽  
Besma Boubertakh

<span lang="EN-US">The immune system plays key roles in the defense of the organism. However, the effects of the immune system are not limited to the immune functions and have impacts beyond the anti-pathogenes role.                          Indeed, neuroimmunology is a representative field of how the immune system affects non-immune biological and physio-pathological functions. Herein, we have selected a number of neurodegenerative diseases as illustrative examples to put a spotlight on this important field.              Importantly, clarifying the links and interactions between the immune system and the nervous system represents key elements for the understanding neurodegenerative diseases since it will lead to new theories about the pathogenesis and the mechanisms underlying the related processes and thus, provide us with new data and novel tools to both describe the related pathways and develop new therapeutic approaches as well as diagnostic approaches and research methodologies based on such new discoveries.</span>


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 146
Author(s):  
Abdelaziz Ghanemi ◽  
Besma Boubertakh

The immune system plays key roles in the defense of the organism. However, the effects of the immune system are not limited to the immune functions and have impacts beyond the anti-pathogenes role. Indeed, neuroimmunology is a representative field of how the immune system affects non-immune biological and physio-pathological functions. Herein, we have selected a number of neurodegenerative diseases as illustrative examples to put a spotlight on this important field. Importantly, clarifying the links and interactions between the immune system and the nervous system represents key elements for the understanding neurodegenerative diseases since it will lead to new theories about the pathogenesis and the mechanisms underlying the related processes and thus, provide us with new data and novel tools to both describe the related pathways and develop new therapeutic approaches as well as diagnostic approaches and research methodologies based on such new discoveries.


Author(s):  
Natalia Bryniarska-Kubiak ◽  
Andrzej Kubiak ◽  
Małgorzata Lekka ◽  
Agnieszka Basta-Kaim

AbstractNervous system diseases are the subject of intensive research due to their association with high mortality rates and their potential to cause irreversible disability. Most studies focus on targeting the biological factors related to disease pathogenesis, e.g. use of recombinant activator of plasminogen in the treatment of stroke. Nevertheless, multiple diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease still lack successful treatment. Recently, evidence has indicated that physical factors such as the mechanical properties of cells and tissue and topography play a crucial role in homeostasis as well as disease progression. This review aims to depict these factors’ roles in the progression of nervous system diseases and consequently discusses the possibility of new therapeutic approaches. The literature is reviewed to provide a deeper understanding of the roles played by physical factors in nervous system disease development to aid in the design of promising new treatment approaches. Graphic abstract


Author(s):  
Maria João Matos

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases and the leading causes of dementia worldwide. The etiology of these multifactorial pathologies is not completely known. The available therapeutic approaches can cause temporary relief of symptoms but cannot slow down their progression or cure them. Life-changing therapeutic solutions are urgently needed, as the number of people suffering from these pathologies has been increasing quickly over the last few decades. Several targets are being studied, and innovative approaches are being pursued to find new therapeutic options. This overview is focused on the most recent information regarding the paradigm of using multitarget compounds to treat both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Endres ◽  
Karl-Herbert Schäfer

When thinking about neurodegenerative diseases, the first symptoms that come to mind are loss of memory and learning capabilities, which all resemble hallmarks of manifestation of such diseases in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the gut comprises the largest nervous system outside the CNS that is autonomously active and in close interplay with its microbiota. Therefore, the enteric nervous system (ENS) might serve as an indicator of degenerative pathomechanisms that also affect the CNS. On the other hand, it might offer an entry point for devastating influences from the microbial community or – conversely – for therapeutic approaches via gut commensals. Within the last years, the ENS and gut microbiota therefore have sparked the interest of researchers of CNS diseases and we here report on recent findings and open questions, especially with regard to Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 887
Author(s):  
Josephine Trichka ◽  
Wen-Quan Zou

The process of neuroinflammation contributes to the pathogenic mechanism of many neurodegenerative diseases. The deleterious attributes of neuroinflammation involve aberrant and uncontrolled activation of glia, which can result in damage to proximal brain parenchyma. Failure to distinguish self from non-self, as well as leukocyte reaction to aggregation and accumulation of proteins in the CNS, are the primary mechanisms by which neuroinflammation is initiated. While processes local to the CNS may instigate neurodegenerative disease, the existence or dysregulation of systemic homeostasis can also serve to improve or worsen CNS pathologies, respectively. One fundamental component of systemic homeostasis is the gut microbiota, which communicates with the CNS via microbial metabolite production, the peripheral nervous system, and regulation of tryptophan metabolism. Over the past 10–15 years, research focused on the microbiota–gut–brain axis has culminated in the discovery that dysbiosis, or an imbalance between commensal and pathogenic gut bacteria, can promote CNS pathologies. Conversely, a properly regulated and well-balanced microbiome supports CNS homeostasis and reduces the incidence and extent of pathogenic neuroinflammation. This review will discuss the role of the gut microbiota in exacerbating or alleviating neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases, and potential microbiota-based therapeutic approaches to reduce pathology in diseased states.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (41) ◽  
pp. 5755-5771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Tonda-Turo ◽  
Nicola Origlia ◽  
Clara Mattu ◽  
Alice Accorroni ◽  
Valeria Chiono

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are the most common neurodegenerative diseases worldwide and their incidence is increasing due to the aging population. At the moment, the available therapies are not disease modifying and have several limitations, some of which are discussed in this review. One of the main limitations of these treatments is the low concentration that drugs reach in the central nervous system after systemic administration. Indeed, the presence of biological barriers, particularly the blood-brain barrier (BBB), hinders the effective drug delivery to the brain, reducing the potential benefit coming from the administration of the medication. In this review, the mechanisms of transport across the BBB and new methods to improve drug passage across the BBB are discussed. These methods include non-invasive solutions such as intranasal and intravitreal administration, and the use of nanotechnology solutions based on polymeric carriers when the drug is intravenously injected, orally taken for intestine adsorption or delivered through the dermal mucosa. Also, it provides an analysis of more invasive solutions that include intracranially injected hydrogels and implanted devices for local drug delivery. Efforts in finding new therapeutic drugs blocking neurodegenerative disease progression or reverting their course should be coupled with efforts addressed to efficient drug delivery systems. Hence, new pharmacology discoveries together with advancements in nanotechnologies and biomaterials for regenerative medicine are required to effectively counteract neurodegenerative diseases.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 953-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Silva Adaya ◽  
Lucinda Aguirre-Cruz ◽  
Jorge Guevara ◽  
Emma Ortiz-Islas

The blood–brain barrier is the interface between the blood and brain, impeding the passage of most circulating cells and molecules, protecting the latter from foreign substances, and maintaining central nervous system homeostasis. However, its restrictive nature constitutes an obstacle, preventing therapeutic drugs from entering the brain. Usually, a large systemic dose is required to achieve pharmacological therapeutic levels in the brain, leading to adverse effects in the body. As a consequence, various strategies are being developed to enhance the amount and concentration of therapeutic compounds in the brain. One such tool is nanotechnology, in which nanostructures that are 1–100 nm are designed to deliver drugs to the brain. In this review, we examine many nanotechnology-based approaches to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The review begins with a brief history of nanotechnology, followed by a discussion of its definition, the properties of most reported nanomaterials, their biocompatibility, the mechanisms of cell–material interactions, and the current status of nanotechnology in treating Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Of all strategies to deliver drug to the brain that are used in nanotechnology, drug release systems are the most frequently reported.


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