ROLE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Alzheimer's disease is an age-associated, irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by severe memory loss, unusual behavior, personality changes and a decline in memory function. It is the most common form of dementia and affects an estimated 10 million people worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease demolishes the vital brain cells, causing trouble with memory, thinking and behavior, brutal enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies and social life. Recognized factors in Alzheimer's disease include acetylcholine deficiency, free radicals and inflammation of the brain tissue. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but drugs designed to slow down the disease progression are available. Some herbs may help to improve brain function, but scientific evidence to prove that they can treat Alzheimer's disease. Medicinal plants have been the single most productive source of leads for the development of drugs, and over a hundred new products are already in clinical development. Indeed, several scientific studies have described the use of various medicinal plants and their constituents for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This review gathers research on various medicinal plants that have shown promise in reversing the Alzheimer's disease pathology. The report summarizes information concerning applications of these various plants in order to provide sufficient baseline information that could be used in drug discovery campaigns and development process, thereby providing new functional leads for Alzheimer's disease.