Garcinol, a multifaceted sword for the treatment of Parkinson's disease

Garcinol, the principal phytoconstituent of plants belonging to the genus Garcinia, is known for its anti-oxidant as well as anti-inflammatory properties, which can be extended to its possible neuroprotective role. Recent reports disseminate the capacity of garcinol to influence neuronal growth and survival, alter the neurochemical status in brain, as well as regulate memory and cognition. The concomitant neuro-rescue property of garcinol may render it as an effective compound in Parkinson's disease (PD) therapeutics since it is capable of ameliorating the related pathophysiological changes. Emerging pieces of evidence linking histone acetylation defects to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases provide an effective basis for targeting PD. Hyperacetylation of histones has been reported in Parkinsonian brain, which demands the use of pharmacological inhibitors of histone acetyltransferases (HAT). Garcinol serves as a potent natural HAT inhibitor and has unveiled promising results in molecular interaction studies against Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT), as well as in L-DOPA induced dyskinesia. This review highlights the prospective implications of garcinol as a novel anti-Parkinsonian agent, and establishes a bridge between histone acetylation defects and the pathological aspects of PD.