With the increase in the proportion of aged population due to the rapid increase of life expectancy, the worldwide prevalence rate of multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease has been increased dramatically. The demographic trend toward an older population has drawn the attention to new drug discovery and treatment on age-related diseases. Although a panel of drugs and/or therapies are currently available for treating the neurodegenerative diseases, side effects or insufficient drug efficacy have been reported. With the long history in prescription of Chinese medicine or natural compounds for modulating aged-related diseases, emerging evidence was reported to support the pharmacological role of Chinese medicine in ameliorating the symptoms, or interfering with the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. This review brings evidence about today's trends and development of a list of potential neuroprotective herbal compounds from both the traditional and modern pharmacological point of view. With future projections, the potential hope and implication of using Chinese medicine as an alternative source for novel drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases is proposed.

Chinese Medicine: A Hope for Neurodegenerative Diseases?

Alzheimer’s disease remains a global health challenge and an unmet need requiring innovative approaches to discover new drugs. The current study aimed to investigate the inhibitory activity of Albizia lucidior and Albizia procera leaves against acetylcholinesterase enzyme in vitro and explore their chemical compositions. Metabolic profiling of the bioactive plant, A. lucidior, via UHPLC/MS/MS-based Molecular Networking highlighted the richness of its ethanolic extract with budmunchiamine alkaloids, fourteen budmunchiamine alkaloids as well as four new putative ones were tentatively identified for the first time in A. lucidior. Pursuing these alkaloids in the fractions of A. lucidior extract via molecular networking revealed that alkaloids were mainly concentrated in the ethyl acetate fraction. In agreement, the alkaloid-rich fraction showed the most promising anticholinesterase activity (IC50 5.26 µg/mL) versus the ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction of A. lucidior (IC50 24.89 and 6.90 µg/mL, respectively), compared to donepezil (IC50 3.90 µg/mL). Furthermore, deep in silico studies of tentatively identified alkaloids of A. lucidior were performed. Notably, normethyl budmunchiamine K revealed superior stability and receptor binding affinity compared to the two used references: donepezil and the co-crystallized inhibitor (MF2 700). This was concluded based on molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics generalized born/solvent accessibility (MM–GBSA) calculations.

/pdf/anticholinesterase-activity-of-budmunchiamine-alkaloids-14ti5dqs.pdf

Anticholinesterase Activity of Budmunchiamine Alkaloids Revealed by Comparative Chemical Profiling of Two Albizia spp., Molecular Docking and Dynamic Studies

In clinical practice in Taiwan, Albizia julibrissin is the most prescribed Chinese herbal medicine for insomnia. Short-term insomnia and hypnotic use both attenuate cognitive functions, especially learning memory. In previous studies, A. julibrissin exhibits sedative activity, antidepressant-like effects, and protection of learning and memory against amnesia. However, whether A. julibrissin ameliorates memory loss caused by short-term sleep deprivation is not clear. We utilized the sleep-deprived Drosophila model and olfactory associative learning-memory assay to test the effects of A. julibrissin on sleep-deprivation induced memory loss. We found that A. julibrissin ameliorated 3-hour memory but not 1-hour memory or instant learning. The findings might be applied to an anticipated short-term sleep disturbance.

/pdf/albizia-julibrissin-ameliorates-memory-loss-induced-by-3d20w3ub2e.pdf

Albizia julibrissin Ameliorates Memory Loss Induced by Insomnia in Drosophila

https://mail.phcogj.com/sites/default/files/PharmacognJ-13-5-1312.pdf

Potential Neuroprotective Activity of Essential Oils in Memory and Learning Impairment

Two doses (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg p.o) of the Albizia julibrissin essential oil (AJEO) were subjected for the evaluation of learning and memory enhancing activity against amnesia induced by scopolamine (0.4mg/kg, i.p) in young mice. Piracetam (400 mg/kg i.p) was served as standard in both the models. Biochemical parameter like Anticholinesterase activity was evaluated. Both the lower (100mg/kg) and higher dose (200mg/kg) of AJEO has shown dose dependent significant decrease in Transfer latency (TL) by EPM and decrease in AChE activity in brain estimation which in terms indicate improved learning and memory when compared with scopolamine group. Sub-acute treatment (long term) was more significant than acute treatment (short term) on learning and memory enhancing activity.

/pdf/investigation-on-learning-and-memory-enhancing-activity-of-210ikawsmf.pdf

Hegde K

Papers

Investigation on Learning and Memory Enhancing activity of Essential Oil inAlbizia julibrissin Flowers in Experimental Mice