curcumin and icariin

It is estimated that by 2023, approximately 20% of the population of Western Europe and North America will suffer from a degenerative joint disease commonly known as osteoarthritis (OA). During the development of OA, pro-inflammatory cytokines are one of the major causes that drive the production of inflammatory mediators and thus of matrix-degrading enzymes. OA is a challenging disease for doctors due to the limitation of the joint cartilage's capacity to repair itself. Though new treatment approaches, in particular with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that integrate the tissue engineering (TE) of cartilage tissue, are promising, they are not only expensive but more often do not lead to the regeneration of joint cartilage. Therefore, there is an increasing need for novel, safe, and more effective alternatives to promote cartilage joint regeneration and TE. Indeed, naturally occurring phytochemical compounds (herbal remedies) have a great anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anabolic potential, and they have received much attention for the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including the prevention of age-related OA and cartilage TE. This paper summarizes recent research on herbal remedies and their chondroinductive and chondroprotective effects on cartilage and progenitor cells, and it also emphasizes the possibilities that exist in this research area, especially with regard to the nutritional support of cartilage regeneration and TE, which may not benefit from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Cartilage; Curcumin; Flavonoids; Glycine max; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Osteoarthritis; Persea; Phytochemicals; Plants, Medicinal; Pomegranate; Regeneration; Resveratrol; Tissue Engineering; Zingiber officinale

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting 25 million people worldwide, and cholinergic hypothesis is considered as an important hypotheses in the processes of improving cognitive function and recognition skills in recent years. For the long-term treatment of AD, traditional Chinese medicine are particularly suitable for drug discovery. In this review, we sum up six traditional Chinese medicinal herbs concerned with development of AChEIs, including Herba Epimedii, Coptis Chinensis Franch, Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, Green tea, Ganoderma, Panax Ginseng. The listed compounds based on these herbs are belonging to six classes Flavonoids, Alkaloids, Ketones, Polyphenols, Terpenoid and Saponins, respectively. These compounds could be very promising agents in the search for potent anti-Alzheimer's drugs.

Topics: Acetylcholinesterase; Alzheimer Disease; Berberine; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Curcumin; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Flavonoids; Ginsenosides; Humans; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder associated with dementia, not only severely decreases the quality of life for its victims, but also brings a heavy economic burden to the family and society. Unfortunately, few chemical drugs designed for clinical applications have reached the expected preventive or therapeutic effect so far, and combined with their significant side-effects, there is therefore an urgent need for new strategies to be developed for AD treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine has accumulated many experiences in the treatment of dementia during thousands of years of practice; modern pharmacological studies have confirmed the therapeutic effects of many active components derived from Chinese herbal medicines (CHM). Ginsenoside Rg1, extracted from Radix Ginseng, exerts a [Formula: see text]-secretase inhibitor effect so as to decrease A[Formula: see text] aggregation. It can also inhibit the apoptosis of neuron cells. Tanshinone IIA, extracted from Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, and baicalin, extracted from Radix Scutellariae[Formula: see text] can inhibit the oxidative stress injury in neuronal cells. Icariin, extracted from Epimedium brevicornum, can decrease A[Formula: see text] levels and the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, and can also inhibit oxidative stress and apoptosis. Huperzine A, extracted from Huperzia serrata, exerts a cholinesterase inhibitor effect. Evodiamine, extracted from Fructus Evodiae, and curcumin, extracted from Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, exert anti-inflammatory actions. Curcumin can act on A[Formula: see text] and tau too. Due to the advantages of multi-target effects and fewer side effects, Chinese medicine is more appropriate for long-term use. In this present review, the pharmacological effects of commonly used active components derived from Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of AD are discussed.

Topics: Abietanes; Alkaloids; Alzheimer Disease; Curcuma; Curcumin; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Epimedium; Evodia; Flavonoids; Ginsenosides; Humans; Huperzia; Panax; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Quinazolines; Salvia miltiorrhiza; Scutellaria baicalensis; Sesquiterpenes