Therapeutic Potential of Natural Compounds in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Insights from Clinical Trials
Stéphanie Andrade,
Débora Nunes,
Meghna Dabur,
Maria J. Ramalho,
Maria C. Pereira,
Joana A. Loureiro
Affiliations
Stéphanie Andrade
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Débora Nunes
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Meghna Dabur
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Maria J. Ramalho
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Maria C. Pereira
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Joana A. Loureiro
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Neurodegenerative diseases are caused by the gradual loss of neurons’ function. These neurological illnesses remain incurable, and current medicines only alleviate the symptoms. Given the social and economic burden caused by the rising frequency of neurodegenerative diseases, there is an urgent need for the development of appropriate therapeutics. Natural compounds are gaining popularity as alternatives to synthetic drugs due to their neuroprotective properties and higher biocompatibility. While natural compounds’ therapeutic effects for neurodegenerative disease treatment have been investigated in numerous in vitro and in vivo studies, only few have moved to clinical trials. This article provides the first systematic review of the clinical trials evaluating natural compounds’ safety and efficacy for the treatment of the five most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease.
