Abstract

THE USE OF HERBAL MEDICINE IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

M.M.M. Nifras* and M.U.Z.N. Farzana

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer‟s disease (AD) is the progressive neurodegenerative disease and most common form of senile dementia which demolishes the vital brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. There is no cure for Alzheimer‟s disease, but drugs designed to slow disease progression are available. Many of the current drugs taken to treat the disease have unpleasant side effects and poor compliances. Some herbs may help to improve brain function, but scientific evidence to prove that they can treat Alzheimer‟s disease, is limited. At present herbal medicine has turn out to be best choice for the management of AD because of its availability, very economic, good patient compliance, ease of formulation and lower side effects. The objective of this review is to provide a systematic review of the ongoing evidence pertaining to the use of Anti-Alzheimer‟s Disease medicinal herbs such as Curcuma longa, Centella asiatica, Gingko biloba, Juglans regia, Coffea Arabica, Vitis vinifera, Piper nigrum Withania somnifera, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Tinospera cordifolia in the treatment of Alzheimer‟s disease (AD) and its associated symptoms.

Keywords: Alzheimer?s Disease, Dementia.