Title:Multi-Target Strategy and Experimental Studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Alzheimer’s Disease Therapy
VOLUME: 16 ISSUE: 5
Author(s):Lin Li, Lan Zhang and Cui-cui Yang
Affiliation:Department of Pharmacology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, 45 Chang-chun Street, Beijing 100053, P. R. China.
Keywords:Alzheimer's disease, Animal model, Compound drug, Herb extract, Multi-target, Therapy, Traditional Chinese medicine.
Abstract:Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial complex disease. The pathogenesis of AD is
very complicated, and involves the β-amyloid (Aβ) cascade, tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation,
oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced levels of neurotrophic factors, and damage
and loss of synapses as well as cholinergic neurons. The multi-target characteristics of traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM) may be advantageous over single-target drugs in the treatment of complex
diseases. These drugs have therefore attracted more attention in the research and development of AD
therapies. This review describes advances made in experimental studies of TCM for AD treatment. It discusses research,
from our group and other laboratories, on TCM compound drugs (Shenwu capsule) and approximately 10 Chinese medicinal
herb extracts (tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside, epimedium flavonoid, icariin, cornel iridoid glycoside, ginsenoside,
puerarin, clausenamide, huperzine A, and timosaponins).
