What are the prospects of treating neurodegenerative diseases with natural products?

Abstract

The aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, is not fully understood. This is due to the fact that the development of such diseases is complex and multi-factorial. To date, several studies highlighted that one of the main mechanism of neuronal cell death is oxidative stress. This led researchers to investigate several naturally-occurring compounds, including dietary metabolites, and relate their mode of action to the oxidative stress mechanisms postulated in neuronal cells. In this review, we discuss the potential role of natural metabolites as candidates for the control and treatment of neurodegenerative disease, with a particular reference to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.