Neuroprotective Herbs for the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease

doi:10.3390/biom11040543

Table 1

Neuroprotective herbs for the management of AD have a wide gamut of physiological actions. Listed below are the neurotherapeutic properties of these herbs that ultimately enhance memory and restore normal cognitive functions.

Herb Study Type Function/Outcome Measure Reference
Ashwagandha
(Withania somnifera) in vitro, in vivo,
clinical studies antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blocks Aβ production, inhibits neural cell death, dendrite extension, neurite outgrowth and restores synaptic function, neural regeneration, reverses mitochondrial dysfunction, improves auditory–verbal working memory, executive function, processing speed, and social cognition in patients [20,23,24,25,26,27,28,29]
Brahmi
(Bacopa monnieri) in vitro, in vivo,
clinical studies antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, improves memory, attention, executive function, blocks Aβ production, inhibits neural cell death, delays brain aging, improves cardiac function [30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37]
Cat’s claw
(Uncaria tomentosa) in vitro, in vivo,
pre-clinical
studies anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, inhibits plaques and tangles,
reduces gliosis, improves memory [38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45]
Ginkgo biloba in vitro, pre-clinical,
clinical studies antioxidant, improves mitochondrial function, stimulates cerebral blood flow, blocks neural cell death, stimulates neurogenesis [46,47,48,49,50]
Gotu kola
(Centella asiatica) in vitro, in vivo,
clinical studies neuroceutical, cogniceutical,
reduces oxidative stress, Aβ levels, and apoptosis, promotes dendritic growth and
mitochondrial health, improves mood and memory [51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58]
Lion’s mane
(Hericium erinaceus) in vitro, in vivo,
pre-clinical and
clinical studies neuroprotective, improves cognition, anti-inflammatory, blocks Aβ production, stimulates neurotransmission and neurite outgrowth [59,60,61,62,63]
Saffron
(Crocus sativus) in vitro, in vivo,
clinical studies antioxidant, anti-amyloidogenic,
anti-inflammatory, antidepressant,
immunomodulation,
neuroprotection [64,65,66]
Shankhpushpi
(Convolvulus pluricaulis) in vitro, in vivo,
pre-clinical studies promotes cognitive function,
slows brain aging,
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory [33,36,67,68,69,70].
Triphala
(Emblica officinalis,
Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula) in vitro, in vivo,
pre-clinical and clinical studies antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, prevents dental caries, antibacterial,
antiparasitic, reverses metabolic disturbances [71,72,73,74,75,76].
Turmeric
(Curcuma longa) in vitro, in vivo,
pre-clinical and clinical studies antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, blocks Aβ production, inhibits neural cell death [77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85].

Herb	Study Type	Function/Outcome Measure	Reference
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)	in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies	antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blocks Aβ production, inhibits neural cell death, dendrite extension, neurite outgrowth and restores synaptic function, neural regeneration, reverses mitochondrial dysfunction, improves auditory–verbal working memory, executive function, processing speed, and social cognition in patients	[20,23,24,25,26,27,28,29]
Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri)	in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies	antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, improves memory, attention, executive function, blocks Aβ production, inhibits neural cell death, delays brain aging, improves cardiac function	[30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37]
Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa)	in vitro, in vivo, pre-clinical studies	anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, inhibits plaques and tangles, reduces gliosis, improves memory	[38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45]
Ginkgo biloba	in vitro, pre-clinical, clinical studies	antioxidant, improves mitochondrial function, stimulates cerebral blood flow, blocks neural cell death, stimulates neurogenesis	[46,47,48,49,50]
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica)	in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies	neuroceutical, cogniceutical, reduces oxidative stress, Aβ levels, and apoptosis, promotes dendritic growth and mitochondrial health, improves mood and memory	[51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58]
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus)	in vitro, in vivo, pre-clinical and clinical studies	neuroprotective, improves cognition, anti-inflammatory, blocks Aβ production, stimulates neurotransmission and neurite outgrowth	[59,60,61,62,63]
Saffron (Crocus sativus)	in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies	antioxidant, anti-amyloidogenic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, immunomodulation, neuroprotection	[64,65,66]
Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis)	in vitro, in vivo, pre-clinical studies	promotes cognitive function, slows brain aging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory	[33,36,67,68,69,70].
Triphala (Emblica officinalis, Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula)	in vitro, in vivo, pre-clinical and clinical studies	antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, prevents dental caries, antibacterial, antiparasitic, reverses metabolic disturbances	[71,72,73,74,75,76].
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)	in vitro, in vivo, pre-clinical and clinical studies	antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, blocks Aβ production, inhibits neural cell death	[77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85].