Chemical Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Alzheimer's Disease and Its Mechanism： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease （AD） is one of the most common diseases in the elderly population. Its etiology involves multiple pathogenic factors and pathological links such as abnormal deposition of β amyloid protein （Aβ）， hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein， abnormalities of the cholinergic system， oxidative stress， and inflammatory response. However， its specific pathogenesis has not been clarified， and no specific therapeutic drugs have been found. In recent years， more and more studies have paid attention to the potential of chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of AD. However， the diversity and complexity of the chemical components of TCM may have a positive impact on multiple pathological links of AD. Researchers have isolated many active components from TCMs， and the effects of treating AD have been confirmed by modern pharmacological studies. Through literature analysis， this article found that the main chemical components of TCM with anti-AD effects were saponins （31%）， flavonoids （24%）， polysaccharides （20%）， lactones （8%）， alkaloids （7%）， phenols （3%）， and other compounds （7%）. Among them， ginsenoside， notoginsenoside， epimedium flavones， puerarin， baicalein， schisandra polysaccharide， angelica polysaccharide， ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide， pachyman， huperzine A， berberine， andrographolide， curcumin， emodin， and gastrodin have been extensively studied in terms of their anti-AD effects， and their mechanisms of pharmacological action have been involved in many aspects of AD pathogenesis. This article reviews the anti-AD activities and possible mechanisms of chemical components of TCM， so as to provide a reference for the development of new drugs for the prevention and treatment of AD.