Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD) have become a major global health burden, but the detailed pathogeneses of neurodegenerative diseases are still unknown, and current treatments are mainly aimed at controlling symptom...

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Main Authors: Fangxin Guo, Xudi Qin, Jian Mao, Yan Xu, Jianping Xie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5700
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author Fangxin Guo
Xudi Qin
Jian Mao
Yan Xu
Jianping Xie
author_facet Fangxin Guo
Xudi Qin
Jian Mao
Yan Xu
Jianping Xie
author_sort Fangxin Guo
collection DOAJ
description Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD) have become a major global health burden, but the detailed pathogeneses of neurodegenerative diseases are still unknown, and current treatments are mainly aimed at controlling symptoms; there are no curative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases or treatments for the progressive cognitive, behavioral, and functional impairments that they cause. Studies have shown that some plant extracts with pungent flavor components have a certain neuroprotective effect in neurodegenerative diseases, and their mechanisms mainly involve inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, promoting neuronal regeneration, reducing mitochondrial degeneration, and reducing the production of oxides such as reactive oxygen species in cells, which are of great significance for exploring the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we searched the PubMed database for relevant literature collected in the past 15 years. Finally, we summarized the protective effects of pungent flavor components such as capsaicin, piperine, curcumin, cannabinoids, allicin, and nicotine on the nervous system, focusing on the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that they activate. In addition, we also compiled and summarized the laboratory experiments, preclinical experiments, and effects of various pungent flavor components in neurodegenerative diseases. The goal is to further explore their potential as effective drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and provide new ideas for further research on the specific protective mechanisms of these substances for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the targets of drug action in the future.
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institution OA Journals
issn 1420-3049
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-5879186e408743ec9c67933987eb154e2025-08-20T02:38:48ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-12-012923570010.3390/molecules29235700Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative DiseasesFangxin Guo0Xudi Qin1Jian Mao2Yan Xu3Jianping Xie4Beijing Life Science Academy (BLSA), Beijing 102209, ChinaBeijing Life Science Academy (BLSA), Beijing 102209, ChinaBeijing Life Science Academy (BLSA), Beijing 102209, ChinaBeijing Life Science Academy (BLSA), Beijing 102209, ChinaBeijing Life Science Academy (BLSA), Beijing 102209, ChinaNeurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD) have become a major global health burden, but the detailed pathogeneses of neurodegenerative diseases are still unknown, and current treatments are mainly aimed at controlling symptoms; there are no curative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases or treatments for the progressive cognitive, behavioral, and functional impairments that they cause. Studies have shown that some plant extracts with pungent flavor components have a certain neuroprotective effect in neurodegenerative diseases, and their mechanisms mainly involve inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, promoting neuronal regeneration, reducing mitochondrial degeneration, and reducing the production of oxides such as reactive oxygen species in cells, which are of great significance for exploring the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we searched the PubMed database for relevant literature collected in the past 15 years. Finally, we summarized the protective effects of pungent flavor components such as capsaicin, piperine, curcumin, cannabinoids, allicin, and nicotine on the nervous system, focusing on the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that they activate. In addition, we also compiled and summarized the laboratory experiments, preclinical experiments, and effects of various pungent flavor components in neurodegenerative diseases. The goal is to further explore their potential as effective drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and provide new ideas for further research on the specific protective mechanisms of these substances for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the targets of drug action in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5700neurodegenerative diseasespungent flavor componentsplant extractsneuroprotective effects
spellingShingle Fangxin Guo
Xudi Qin
Jian Mao
Yan Xu
Jianping Xie
Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Molecules
neurodegenerative diseases
pungent flavor components
plant extracts
neuroprotective effects
title Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases
title_full Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases
title_fullStr Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases
title_full_unstemmed Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases
title_short Potential Protective Effects of Pungent Flavor Components in Neurodegenerative Diseases
title_sort potential protective effects of pungent flavor components in neurodegenerative diseases
topic neurodegenerative diseases
pungent flavor components
plant extracts
neuroprotective effects
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5700
work_keys_str_mv AT fangxinguo potentialprotectiveeffectsofpungentflavorcomponentsinneurodegenerativediseases
AT xudiqin potentialprotectiveeffectsofpungentflavorcomponentsinneurodegenerativediseases
AT jianmao potentialprotectiveeffectsofpungentflavorcomponentsinneurodegenerativediseases
AT yanxu potentialprotectiveeffectsofpungentflavorcomponentsinneurodegenerativediseases
AT jianpingxie potentialprotectiveeffectsofpungentflavorcomponentsinneurodegenerativediseases