Iridoid glycosides in kidney-tonifying Chinese medicinal herbs: Mechanisms and implications for Alzheimer's disease...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable and irreversible type of dementia. Existing drugs cannot meet clinical needs; thus, developing new treatments is necessary. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in the prevention and treatment of AD. TCM holds the theory that "the kidney support brain function" and believes that dementia can be addressed from a kidney-based perspective. Kidney-tonifying herbs are a class of medicines that have the effect of tonifying the kidney and benefiting the brain. Some of these herbs have been shown to have anti-AD effects. Iridoid glycosides (IGs), which are important components of kidney-tonifying herbs, may have the potential to prevent and treat AD. However, their effects on AD have not yet been reviewed.

This literature review provides a comprehensive summary of the potential of IGs in the prevention and treatment of AD. It also sets the foundation for future studies that will make the use of such drugs in clinical practice possible.

Kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs were selected with reference to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) and the textbook of Chinese Materia Medica (5th edition). Literature survey was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CNKI, with "Alzheimer's disease," "kidney-tonifying Chinese medicinal herbs," and "Iridoid Glycosides" as the primary keywords.

Kidney-tonifying herbal IGs include loganin, morroniside, verbenalin, cornuside, catalpol, rehmannioside A, geniposidic acid, and aucubin. These IGs have shown multiple pharmacological effects, including anti-AD effects. The effective mechanisms of IGs for AD treatment include anti-oxidative stress, inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, antagonizing amyloid neurotoxicity and tau protein hyperphosphorylation, regulating immune function, anti-inflammation, normalizing the function of the cholinergic nervous system, recuperating neurobiochemical, and regulating AD-related genes. Consequently, IGs can combat AD by modulating multiple targets and pathways.

Kidney-tonifying herbal IGs have great potential to combat AD.