Jiang B, Shen R F, Bi J, Tian X S, Hinchliffe T, Xia Y
School of Biological Science & Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China.
Curr Med Chem. 2015;22(10):1278-91. doi: 10.2174/0929867322666150114151720.
Neurodegenerative disorders, e.g., Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are characterized by the progressive loss of neurons and subsequent cognitive decline. They are mainly found in older populations. Due to increasing life expectancies, the toll inflicted upon society by these disorders continues to become heavier and more prominent. Despite extensive research, however, the exact etiology of these disorders is still unknown, though the pathophysiological mechanisms have been attributed to oxidative, inflammatory and apoptotic injury in the brain. Moreover, there is currently no promising therapeutic agent against these neurodegenerative changes. Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside contained richly in the roots of the small flowering plant species Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, has been shown to have antioxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis and other neuroprotective properties and plays a role in neuroprotection against hypoxic/ischemic injury, AD and PD in both in vivo and in vitro models. It may therefore represent a potential therapeutical agent for the treatment of hypoxic/ischemic injury and neurodegenerative diseases. Based on our studies and those of others in the literature, here we comprehensively review the role of Catalpol in neuroprotection against pathological conditions, especially in neurodegenerative states and the potential mechanisms involved.
神经退行性疾病，如阿尔茨海默病（AD）和帕金森病（PD），其特征是神经元逐渐丧失并随后出现认知衰退。它们主要见于老年人群。由于预期寿命的增加，这些疾病给社会带来的负担继续变得更加沉重和突出。然而，尽管进行了广泛的研究，这些疾病的确切病因仍然未知，尽管其病理生理机制被认为与大脑中的氧化、炎症和凋亡性损伤有关。此外，目前尚无针对这些神经退行性变化的有效治疗药物。梓醇是一种环烯醚萜苷，在小开花植物地黄（Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch）的根中含量丰富，已被证明具有抗氧化、抗炎、抗凋亡和其他神经保护特性，并在体内和体外模型中对缺氧/缺血性损伤、AD和PD发挥神经保护作用。因此，它可能是治疗缺氧/缺血性损伤和神经退行性疾病的潜在治疗药物。基于我们的研究以及文献中其他人的研究，在此我们全面综述梓醇在针对病理状况尤其是神经退行性状态的神经保护中的作用以及所涉及的潜在机制。
