Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Vascular Dementia: An Overview of Scientific Evidence
Table 1
Nomenclature, key bioactive compounds, and mechanisms of action of commonly used herbs for VaD.
Botanic name
Chinese pinyin or other names
Key bioactive compounds
Possible mechanisms of action associated with VaD
Ginkgo biloba L
Yin Shing Ye, Ginkgo leaf, EGb761 (standardized ginkgo extract)
Quercetin, kaempferol, ginkgolides (e.g., ginkgolide B, ginkgolide C), and bilobalide
(i) Antioxidant via decreasing oxygen radical discharge (ii) Anti-inflammation via decreasing proinflammatory functions of macrophages (iii) Increase glucose uptake and utilization and ATP production (iv) Improve blood flow by increasing red blood cell deformability and decreasing red cell aggregation (v) Induce nitric oxide production (vi) Inhibit platelet activating factors
Huperzia serrata
She Zu Shi Shan, toothed clubmoss, huperzine A (key bioactive extract)
Huperzine A (HupA), huperzine B (HupB), hyperzinine, carinatumin A and B
(i) Potent antiacetylcholinesterase (ii) Antioxidant (iii) Antiapoptosis (iv) Anti--amyloid peptide fragment (v) Inhibition of oxygen-glucose deprivation (vi) MMDA receptor antagonism
(i) Antioxidant via inhibiting lipid peroxidation, scavenging ROS, and reactive nitrogen species (ii) Anti-inflammation (iii) Block aggregation and fibril formation (iv) Cholesterol-lowering properties
Ginseng (Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng)
Panax ginseng: Ren Shen, ginseng, Korean ginseng Panax notoginseng: San Qi, Sanchi, Chinese notoginseng
(i) Antioxidant (ii) Antiapoptosis (iii) Anti-inflammation (iv) Reduce amyloid- and cholinesterase activity (v) Decrease blood pressure and enhance blood perfusion.
Bacopa monnieri
Brahmi
Bacosides (e.g., bacoside A, bacoside B, etc.) brahmine, nicotine, herpestine
(i) Antioxidant activity (ii) Free radical scavenging (iii) Increased cerebral blood flow via vasodilation (iv) Restoration of synaptic activity and improving nerve impulse transmission (v) Modifying ACh level (vi) Binding and detoxification of metal ions (metal chelation) (vii) Removal of -amyloid deposits (viii) Antidepressant