The use of flavonoids in central nervous system disorders

Curr Med Chem. 2013;20(37):4694-719. doi: 10.2174/09298673113209990155.

Abstract

Neurodegenerative, neurological and psychiatric diseases are a group of pathologies with huge social and economic impacts. Since brain disorders continue to be pathological conditions for which corrective surgery cannot be widely used, treatments are based on drugs that only alleviate the symptoms. Despite all efforts in finding more efficient therapeutic agents, the requirement for neuroprotective drugs able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been a hard challenge to overcome. Flavonoids are known by their antioxidant activities thus preventing oxidative stress, which is believe to be one of the causes of disorders affecting the central nervous system. Moreover, they can also modulate both enzymes and receptors activities, being regarded as multi-target botanical therapeutics or drugs. This review will give emphasis to the benefits of flavonoids found in the diet in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, depression, and schizophrenia. The antioxidant effect of several flavonoids, as well as their effects not related with antioxidant activity, in the above mentioned diseases will be reviewed. Aspects concerning structure-activity relationships, but also the bioavailability of these compounds in the brain will be referred.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / metabolism
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Diet*
  • Flavonoids / metabolism
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Flavonoids / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Neuroprotective Agents / metabolism
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Flavonoids
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Oxidoreductases