Therapeutic potential of neuroprotective plant extracts in Parkinson's disease

This review aims to summarize the application and mechanisms of plant extracts with neuroprotective effects in Parkinson's disease (PD), emphasizing their therapeutic potential in PD management.

Parkinson's disease is a widespread neurodegenerative disorder, predominantly affecting middle-aged and elderly populations. Characterized by varied etiologies, clinical presentations, and complex pathogenesis, its hallmark symptoms include tremor and bradykinesia. Despite the availability of limited pharmacological treatments, current approaches primarily focus on symptom management rather than modifying disease progression. Recent research have increasingly investigates the use of neuroprotective plant extracts, which have shown demonstrating promising therapeutic effects, garnering significant attention in the field.

A systematic review was conducted on preclinical and clinical studies published from 2000 to 2025, sourced from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), to evaluate the effects of neuroprotective plant extracts in PD treatment.

The review reveals that plant extracts with neuroprotective properties exert anti-PD effects through mechanisms including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, inhibition of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation, enhancement of dopaminergic neuron survival, and restoration of synaptic function.

This review outlines research directions for the development of neuroprotective plant extracts as novel PD therapies, suggesting their potential as complementary treatments alongside conventional pharmacological interventions.