Natural products (NPs), including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been long and widely used in the prevention and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases by virtue of their abundant sources, diverse structures, and novel activities. In this review article, we intend to summarize and discuss the situation or status of the clinical employments or trials of the NPs and their derivatives with CNS activities. NPs that have been extensively studied in preclinical research in recent years are also included. The compounds presented in this review are classified according to their indications and followed by details such as natural sources, possible biological mechanisms, and development status, while a considerable proportion of them are found in TCM. In addition, some drug combinations with synergistic effects are also mentioned. According to their impressive therapeutic effects and novel chemical structures, NPs are not only effective therapeutic remedies in clinic, but also lead compounds for structural modification, which indicate that nature brings new avenues to the therapy of CNS diseases.
Keywords: central nervous system diseases; natural products; traditional Chinese medicine; treatment.