Ginkgolides and Huperzine A for complementary treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Author(s)

Villegas, Cecilia ; Perez, Rebeca ; Petiz, Lyvia Lintzmaier ; Glaser, Talita ; Ulrich, Henning ; Paz, Cristian

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: IUBMB Life; v. 74, n. 8, p. 17-pg., 2022-04-05.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of cognitive function, memory, and inability to perform daily, social, or occupational activities. Its etiology is associated with the accumulation of beta-amyloid peptides, phosphorylated tau protein, and neuroinflammatory and oxidative processes in the brain. Currently, there is no successful pharmacological treatment for AD. The few approved drugs are mainly aimed at treating the symptoms; however, due to the increasing discovery of etiopathological factors, there are great efforts to find new multifunctional molecules to slow down the course of this neurodegenerative disease. The commercial Ginkgo biloba formulation EGb 761 (R) and Huperzine A, an alkaloid present in the plant Huperzia serrata, have shown in clinical trials to possess cholinergic and neuroprotective activities, including improvement in cognition, activities of daily living, and neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD patients. The purpose of this review is to expose the positive results of intervention with EGb 761 (R) and Huperzine in patients with mild to moderate AD in the last 10 years, highlighting the pharmacological functions that justify their use in AD therapy. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/08426-0 - Indole alkaloid sub products of Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) processing as food additives to Alzheimer's Disease treatment
• Grantee: Alexander Henning Ulrich
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/07366-4 - Purine and kinin receptors as targets of study and therapeutic interventions in neurological diseases
• Grantee: Alexander Henning Ulrich
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/00060-0 - Role of P2Y14 receptor modulation in the hippocampal neuroinflammatory responses in in vitro and in vivo models of Alzheimer's Disease
• Grantee: Lyvia Lintzmaier Petiz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral