A BRIEF REVIEW ON: HERBAL TREATMENT OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Parkinsonism is one of the commonest neurodegenerative diseases, which is characterized by a selective and progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, causing a series of symptoms which might ultimately induce programmed cell death, Although the etiology of Parkinsonism remains unknown, recent studies have suggested that oxidative stress (OS), produces apoptosis which results in mitochondrial defects, neuroinflammation may also play important roles in its pathogenesis.Recently, considerable attention has been paid to utilize bio friendly and eco-friendly plant-based products for the prevention, cure and treatment of Neurodegenerative disease. This article reviews herbs that have been documented to have a neuroprotective effect in in-vitro and in-vivo parkinson's disease (PD) model systems. We summarized the anti-parkinsonian activities of herbs according to their genera. Plants corresponding to 47 genera were included in this review. These herbal medicines can be a substitute and precious source for anti-parkinsonian drug discovery. The plant species in these families and genera whose pharmacological actions have been well characterized could possibly be good candidates for further studies to assess its ability to protect against neurodegenerative disease and potentially extend lifespan.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, Neuroprotective, Antioxidant, Antiapoptotic, Herbal