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A Case for the Neuroprotective Potential of African Phytochemicals in the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has continued to cast its socio-economic burden on sufferers and caregivers. This common irreversible neurodegenerative disease with the highest prevalence among the aging population has so far remained without a successful cure, even as the etiology of the disease is yet to be fully understood. As long as a cure has so far remained unsuccessful, there is an urgent need to search for neuroprotective agents that can provide prophylactic measures against the onset of the disease (late-onset AD) and possibly reverse the neurodegeneration of neurons, as the prevalence of the disease keeps rising.Central to the four major pathogenic pathways postulated to drive the etiology of AD so far is the postulation of free radical-mediated neurodegeneration, oxidative damage, and neuroinflammation. Oxidative imbalance also leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, indicating one of the early events that initiate the progression of AD.

Akpobo M. Oghorodi

An increasing aging population, certain food additives, and ethanol intoxication are some of the factors that have been established to cause a trigger in oxidative imbalance and initiate neuronal degeneration prior to (sometimes decades) the clinical manifestations of AD signs and symptoms. Additionally, the oxidative stress pathogenetic pathway has been established to precede other pathogenic pathways of the disease, including the famous amyloid-β (Aβ) pathway. This makes the oxidative stress pathway of interest for studies in the search for establishing neuroprotective agents that can prevent AD initiation or halt the progression of the disease. In this chapter of the book “Neurocognition”, published by

Emmanuel O. Chidebe

Intechopen, written by Dr Ben-Azu and his co-authors Akpobo M. Oghorodi, Benjamin Oritsemuelebi and Emmanuel O. Chidebe delved into the possible involvement of oxidative stress in AD pathology and the role of mitochondrial dysfunction. The chapter entitled A Case for the Neuroprotective Potential of African Phytochemicals in the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease

Benjamin Oritsemuelebi

more specifically highlights the neuroprotective mechanisms of some African phytochemical compounds rich in antioxidants as therapeutic agents for AD management. The pharmacological properties, as well as the toxicological profile of the African phytochemical compounds were discussed. The role of nanotechnology and pharmacometrician experts in the mathematical modelling of AD disease progression and drug treatment was highlighted in future perspectives as measures to facilitate the translation of these phytochemicals from bench to bedside. Dr Ben-Azu Benneth is thankful to the writers the chief editor, Sandro Misciagna, for a job well done.

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