Title:Chinese Herbs for Dementia Diseases
VOLUME: 12 ISSUE: 5
Author(s):H. M. Hugel, N. Jackson, B. H. May and C. C.I. Xue
Affiliation:RMIT University, School Applied Sciences, Building 3, Bowen Street Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia.
Keywords:Acoris gramineus, P. ginseng, P. tenuifolia, Poria cocos, Alzheimer disease
Abstract:In the last twenty years a considerable body of information has accumulated on the chemical constituents of
Chinese herbs and their therapeutic potential. Our evaluation/systematic review [1, 2] of well-designed, randomized
double blind controlled trials on Chinese herbal medicines beneficial for the improvement of cognitive function revealed a
range of either single herbs or herbal mixtures that provided neuroprotective benefits. Oxidative stress may directly
initiate neurodegeneration and herbal antioxidant neuroprotection is considered as a preventative and therapeutic
approach. We encountered Acoris gramineus rhizome (AGR), Panax ginseng, Polygala tenuifolia and Poria cocos as the
four most frequently used herbs as single/herbal mixtures that were associated with positive cognitive enhancing
outcomes. This review focuses on the evidence of their medicinal effects attributed to those constituents present in
relatively high concentration.
