Integrative medicinal approaches towards Alzheimer's disease model animals–A new hope

Abstract

<abstract> <p>Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease (ND), has been plaguing healthcare and health policy agencies due to its ever-soaring impact globally. It is timely to develop appropriate measures to combat global AD burden. Due to structural and functional similarity, rodent models offer the best alternative to study AD pathogenesis and therapeutics. In this special issue, the present article reviews the state-of-the-art findings on AD model animals from the alternative and integrative medicinal point of view. Our integrative therapeutic agents include fungi (<italic>Ganoderma lucidum</italic>), turmeric (<italic>Curcuma longa</italic>), Indian black berry (black plum, jamun) (<italic>Syzygium cumini</italic>), and madecassoside (derived from <italic>Centella asiatica</italic>). Their bio-components, especially flavonoids, polyphenols, and tri-terpenoids, resist oxidative stress, amyloid beta fibrillation, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels; improve anti-oxidative prowess; and improve learning-related memory and anxiety-like behavior in AD model animals. Most of the findings described here are outcomes of our own studies. However, our claims have been substantiated with evidence from some other studies in the relevant field. As a whole, integrative medicinal approaches towards AD pathogenesis using these natural products seem promising in AD protection.</p> </abstract>