Oxidative stress and Alzheimer’s disease: dietary polyphenols as potential therapeutic agents

Abstract

Oxidative stress has been strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In recent years, antioxidants – especially those of dietary origin – have been suggested as possible agents useful for the prevention and treatment of AD. This article reviews the role of oxidative stress and the contribution of free radicals in the development of AD, and also discusses the use of antioxidants as a therapeutic strategy in the amelioration of this illness. The antioxidant potential of polyphenolic compounds obtained from dietary sources, such as anthocyanins from berries, catechins and theaflavins from tea, curcumin from turmeric, resveratrol from grapes and peanuts, the dihydrochalcones aspalathin and nothofagin from rooibos and the xanthone mangiferin from honeybush, are discussed in this review. The neuroprotective effects of these phytochemicals in preclinical models of AD are highlighted. Finally, innovative concepts, novel hypotheses, current challenges and future directions in the use of dietary polyphenols for the treatment of AD are discussed.

Keywords::

• β-amyloid
• Alzheimer’s disease
• aspalathin
• catechin
• curcumin
• dietary antioxidant
• mangiferin
• mitochondria
• nothofagin
• oxidative stress
• polyphenol
• resveratrol

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.