The Role of Polyphenols and Bioactive Compounds for Combating Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative illnesses afflict hundreds of millions of people globally, resulting in significant healthcare expenses. Conventional treatments have hardly an effect on the disease, which at most are symptomatic, and recent studies have found, that the action of polyphenols and bioactive molecules are beneficial against the disease progression and also in maintaining cognitive function. These phytochemicals abundant in fruits, vegetables, herbs and medicinal plants exhibit a range of beneficial effects which could lead to the transformation of the concept of neuroprotection. Polyphenols such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tannins, have gained significant attention due to their potential in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It can therefore modulate specific signalling pathways implicated in autophagy, amyloid clearance and synaptic plasticity thus, could be potentially beneficial in the treatment of pathologies such Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.