Neural Regeneration Research (Jan 2020)

Medicinal plants and natural products as neuroprotective agents in age-related macular degeneration

  • Francisco Bosch-Morell,
  • Victoria Villagrasa,
  • Teresa Ortega,
  • Nuria Acero,
  • Dolores Muñoz-Mingarro,
  • M Eugenia González-Rosende,
  • Encarna Castillo,
  • M Amparo Sanahuja,
  • Pilar Soriano,
  • Isabel Martínez-Solís

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.284978
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 12
pp. 2207 – 2216

Abstract

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The retina may suffer neurodegenerative damages, as other tissues of the central nervous system do, and serious eye diseases may develop. One of them is age-related macular degeneration, which causes progressive loss of vision due to retina degeneration. Treatment of age-related macular degeneration focuses on antioxidant agents and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor compounds, among others, that prevent/diminish oxidative stress and reduce neovascularisation respectively. The phytochemicals, medicinal plants and/or plant-diet supplements might be a useful adjunct in prevention or treatment of age-related macular degeneration owing to their antioxidant and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor properties. This review article presents the most investigated plants and natural products in relation to age-related macular degeneration, such as saffron, ginkgo, bilberry and blueberry, curcuma or turmeric, carotenoids, polyphenols, and vitamins C and E. This study provides up-to-date information on the effects, treatments, safety and efficiency of these phytotherapy products.

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