Phytochemicals for neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation: medicine of the future or a mirage?
Bioavailability; Neurodegeneration; Neuroinflammation; Phytotherapy; Polyphenols
Dietary polyphenols cease to be mere nutrients but have immense health enhancing and disease modifying effects. Phytochemical-based therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases are becoming increasingly popular. This may be attributed to the lack of long-term benefits or adverse effects of current pharmacotherapy. Polyphenols target multiple pathways and their long-term use could prove beneficial for diseases involving multiple etiological factors. While polyphenols are nontoxic and oral route is the preferred mode of administration, bioavailability in the brain is limited rendering the neuroprotective efficacy questionable. Methods employing synthetic biopolymers, nanoformulations, liposomal carriers, or conjugation have been explored to enhance the bioavailability. While results have been promising in experimental models, translation to human neurodegenerative conditions is limited. It can therefore be surmised that the present knowledge on dietary polyphenols is only the tip of the iceberg and extensive translational research is warranted to fill the gap for their therapeutic use. 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Ayurvedic Herbal Preparations in Neurological Disorders, pp. 343-366.
Mythri R.B., Department of Psychology, Christ (Deemed to be University), Karnataka, Bengaluru, India