ABSTRACT
Fluorescence spectroscopy for in vitro amyloid-ß (Aß) fibrillation diagnosis and spectral fluorescence signature for the identification of bioactive compounds were applied to study traditional Ayurvedic nutraceuticals - Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Shanka pushpi, and Gotu kola - as well as their plant extracts for possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease. All samples manifest as inhibitors on three different variants of the Aß peptide: methionine Aß1-40, Aß1-40, and Aß1-42. The main compounds within the nutraceuticals were identified. Since related medicals are known to have reduced negative post- and side-effects and even may introduce further positive health impacts by preventing pathogen plaque formation and reducing free Aß to a natural level, such treatment approaches could be of further interest.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism , Amyloid/drug effects , Peptide Fragments/metabolism , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Amyloid/metabolism , Centella , Dietary Supplements , Humans , Spectrometry, Fluorescence , TriterpenesABSTRACT
Plaque formation due to amyloid-ß oligomerization and fibrillation is a key issue for its deposition in the brains of dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients. Related drugs preventing this peptide fibril accumulation bear the potential of considerable medical and social value. In this study, we performed in vitro fibrillation inhibition tests with eight different medical plant extracts and nutraceuticals using fluorescence spectroscopy. Successful inhibition of the following plant extracts and nutraceuticals were obtained: Withania somnifera, Centella asiatica, Bacopa monnieri, and Convolvulus pluricaulis, providing new drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
