Combo therapy may slow down Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers propose a novel combination therapy consisting of an agent for chelating redox-active metals (Fe2+) and an antioxidant to reduce damage caused by residual oxygen free radicals, in addition to resveratrol, a modulator of AMPK and sirtuin pathways (nuclear transcription). The addition of resveratrol may have the capacity to increase activity of the NAD+- dependant deacetylases such as sirtuin family enzymes (e.g. SIRT1) and promote improved DNA repair by enhancing PARP enzyme activity through increased production of their essential substrate NAD+, and thus improve cell viability and longevity. A synergistic combination of a selected antioxidant substances, Fe2+ chelating agents and resveratrol may be expected to provide a more clinically successful treatment

Combination therapy may hold the key to slowing down Alzheimer’s disease. CREDIT Dr. Nady Braidy et al, Bentham Science Publishers USAGE RESTRICTIONS Copyrights belong to Dr. Nady Braidy et al, Bentham Science Publishers

Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry – Resveratrol as a Potential Therapeutic Candidate for the Treatment and Management of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract:

Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxystilbene) is a naturally occurring phytochemical present in red wine, grapes, berries, chocolate and peanuts. Clinically, resveratrol has exhibited significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer properties. Although resveratrol was first isolated in 1940, it was not until the last decade that it was recognised for its potential therapeutic role in reducing the risk of neurodegeneration, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in particular. AD is the primary cause of progressive dementia. Resveratrol has demonstrated neuroprotective effects in several in vitro and in vivo models of AD. Apart from its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory roles, evidence suggests that resveratrol also facilitates non-amyloidogenic breakdown of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), and promotes removal of neurotoxic amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides, a critical step in preventing and slowing down AD pathology. Resveratrol also reduces damage to neuronal cells via a variety of additional mechanisms, most notably is the activation of NAD+-dependent histone deacetylases enzymes, termed sirtuins. However in spite of the considerable advances in clarifying the mechanism of action of resveratrol, it is unlikely to be effective as monotherapy in AD due to its poor bioavailability, biotransformation, and requisite synergism with other dietary factors. This review summarizes the relevance of resveratrol in the pathophysiology of AD. It also highlights why resveratrol alone may not be an effective single therapy, and how resveratrol coupled to other compounds might yet prove an effective therapy with multiple targets.

SOURCES- Eurekalert, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney.