Promising Polyphenols in Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a slow progressive, second most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons from the nigrostriatal pathway. In spite of extensive research the therapeutics options of disease are limited which only offer symptomatic relief and could not prevent the disease progression. Therefore researchers are looking for the probable synthetic or natural compounds for the PD therapeutics. Due to mandatory chronic consumption of anti PD drug to the PD patients, the natural compounds are getting attention recently. Numerous studies have indicated the neuroprotective effects of natural polyphenols including epigallocatechin, quercetin, baicalein, resveratrol, luteolin, curcumin, puerarin, genistein, hyperoside naringin against dopaminergic neuronal death with relatively safe with uncommon, mild or transient side effects. However, their mechanistic interference in dopaminergic neuronal death mechanism is not very well defined. Herein, we have attempted to discuss the various natural polyphenols with their known effects on various PD related pathologies to understand their therapeutic utilization for PD patients either in prophylactic or therapeutic mode. Briefly we have also discussed the major disease mechanisms which could be targeted for utilization of these polyphenols specifically involving oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. We have also discuss the limitation and probable strategies for the clinical utilization of these polyphenols for the benefit of PD patients.