Table 1: Medicinal plants exhibiting protection from Alzheimer’s disease.

No. Medicinal Plants, Name and (Family) Mechanism of Action References
1. Abies koreana E.H. Wilson
(Pinaceae)
Improves the memory in scopolamine model of AD in mice. [23]
2. Acorus gramineu Sol.
(Acoraceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory and antioxidant activity.
Increases the learning and memory ability in rat model of AD.
[24, 25]
3. Avicennia officinalis L.
(Acanthaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [26]
4. Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennel
(Plantaginaceae)
Improved cognitive function and reduced loss of neurons in animal model of AD. Enhances learning and memory in randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. [27-32]
5. Berberis darwinii Hook
(Berberidaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro. [33]
6. Cassia obtusifolia (L.), Syn.: Senna obtusifolia (L.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby
(Fabaceae)
Attenuates oxidative stress and Ca+2 dysregulation in primary hippocampal cultures. [34]
7. Caulis spatholobi (L.)
(Fabaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity [35-40, 41, 42-45]
8. Celastrus paniculatus Willd.
(Celastraceae)
It sharpens memory and improves concentration as well as cognitive function. [32]
9. Centella asiatica (L.), Urb.
(Apiaceae)
Reduces apoptosis and hippocampal Aβ levels in vitro and in vivo. Enhances learning and memory function in mice models of AD. Potential use in the prevention and treatment of beta-amyloid toxicity and AD. [32, 46-48]
10. Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Blume (Lauraceae) Inhibits the formation of Aβ oligomers.
Reduces Aβ toxicity in neuronal PC12 cells.
Reduces Aβ oligomer and improves cognition in mice model of AD.
[49]
11. Citrus medica (L.) (Rutaceae) Elicits anti-cholinesterase activity. [50]
12. Cocus nucifera (L.)
(Arecaceae)
Reduces deposition of Aβ in cerebral cortex and tau-1 expression in hippocampus.
Protect from amyloidosis and taupathy (neurofibrillary targets in brain of ovarictomized rats.
Estrogenic activity.
[51, 52, 53, 54]
13. Collinsonia candadensis (L.)
(Lamiaceae)
Called horsebalm. Major constituents are carvacol and thymol that crosses blood-brain barrier which are used for AD, [55]
14. Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy
(Convolvulaceae)
Dose-dependent enhancement of memory was found in mice. [32]
15. Curcuma longa (L.)
(Zingiberaceae)
Statistics indicate definitely (4.4-fold) lower incidence of AD in countries where Curcuma longa is part of daily diet. [32]
16. Danggui-Shaoyao-San (Apiaceae) Improve cognitive function in age related memory dusfunction, reduces Aβ25-35 induced neuronal cell death and antiapoptotic effect in PC12 cells, ameliorate Aβ25-35 induced impairment of spatial learning and memory in mice [56, 57, 58, 59]
17. Desmodium gangeticum (L.)
(Fabaceae)
Elicits AChE inhibitory activity. Improves learning and memory in scopolamine and ageing models of AD in mice [60]
18. Epimedium koreanum (L.)
(Berberidaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [61]
19. Ganoderma lucidum
Curtis) P. Karst
(Ganodermataceae)
Attenuates Aβ induced synaptotoxicity by preserving synaptophysin and inhibits Aβ induced apoptosis and c-JNK phosphorylation [62, 63]
20. Erigon breviscapus
(Vaniot) Hand.-Mazz. (Asteraceae)
Suppresses lipid peroxidation, expression of nACh α-7 protein, β Apeptide in SH-SY5Y cells [64, 65]
21. Hupezia serrata
(Thunb. ex Murray) Trevis (Huperziaceae)
National Institute of Aging has the clinical trial in Phase II of its extract particularly on AD.
22. Lavendula angustifolia
Mill. (Lamiaceae)
Reduces aggression and improves neuropsychiatric behavior in a cross over randomized trial for treating agitated behaviors of demented people in Hong Kong. [66, 67, 68, 69]
23. Lycium barbarum (L.)
(Solanacea)
Protects against the toxicity of fibrillar Aβ1-42 and Aβ25-35 in rat cortical neurons
Exerts antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity
[70, 71, 72]
24. Malus domestica
Borkh. (Rosaceae)
Improves learning and memory in and process organized synaptic signaling in open label trial
Exerts antioxidant activity in mice model of AD
[73, 74]
25. Morus alba L. syn.: Morus atropurpurea
Roxb. (Moraceae)
Augments the antioxidant defense system
Improves learning and memory in mice model of AD
[75]
26. Murraya koenigii
Sprangel
(Rutaceae)
Improves memory and learning in mice models of AD [76]
27. Oldenlandia affinis
Roem. & Schult.
(Rubiaceae)
Inhibits β-secretase activity and decreases Aβ production [78]
28. Paeonia suffruticosa
Andrews
(Paeoniceae)
Inhibits β-secretase activity and decreases Aβ production [79, 80]
29. Phangnalon saxatile (L.) Cass.
(Asteraceae)
Exhibits antioxidant and acetyl cholinesterase inhibitory activity. [81, 82]
30. Physostigma venenosa (L.) Balf.
(Labiatae)
Its physostigmine content has relevance to cholinergic therapy in Alzheimer’s disease [83]
31. Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold, Syn.: Pinus heldreichii H. Christ
(Pinaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [84]
32. Prosopis Africana
(Guill. & Perr) Taub.
(Fabaceae)
Inhibits β-secretase activity and decreases Aβ production [78]
33. Pterocarpus erinaceus
Poir. (Fabaceae)
Inhibits β-secretase activity and decreases Aβ production [85, 86]
34. Punica granatum (L.)
(Lythraceae)
Reduces accumulation of Aβ42 and amyloid deposition in hippocampus in transgenic mice (APP (SW)/Tg2576) and protected PC12 cells from H2O2 induced oxidative stress and increases cognitive function, and inhibits cell death by Aβ induced oxidative stress in mice. [87-91]
35. Paeoniae alba
Pall. (Paeoniaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity [35-40, 41, 42-45]
36. Salvia miltiorrhizae
Bunge (Labiatae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity [35-40, 41, 42-45]
37. Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn) Steud,
(Orbanchanceae)
Induces the expression of glial cell line derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) in cells and cultured astrocytes [92, 93, 94, 95], [96, 97, 98]
38. Rhizophora x lamarckii
(Hybrid of Rhizophora apiculata & R. Stylosa
(Rhizophoraceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [26]
39. Salvia leriifolia
Benth. (Lamiaceae)
Exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cholinesterase inhibitory activity. [99, 100]
40. Salvia officinalis, (L)
(Lamiaceae)
Protects PC12 cells from neurotoxicity and tau protein hyperphosphorylation. Improves learning and memory in patients of moderate AD in a double blind randmozed placebo controlled multicenter trial. [101, 102, 103, 104, 105]
41. Salvia sclareoides Brot.
(Lamiaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [106, 107, 108]
42. Sesuvium portulacastrum (L)
(Aizoaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [26]
43. Suaeda monica Forsk. Ex J.F. Gmel.
(Chenopodiaceae)
Exerts AChE inhibitory activity in vitro [26]
44. Tabernaemontana divaricata(L) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult.
(Apocynaeeae)
Inhibits cortical AChE activity and enhances cortical neuronal activity [109]
45. Thespesia populnea (L) (Malvaceae) Exerts inhibition of AChE activity. Improves learning and memory in diazepam and scopolamine models of AD in mice. [110]
46. Trichilia emetic Vahl.
(Meliaceae)
Inhibits β-secretase activity and decreases Aβ production [85, 86]
47. Uncaria rhynchophylla
(Miq.) (Rubiaceae)
Inhibits fibril formation of both Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42in vitro [111], [112, 113, 114, 115]
48. Valeriana amurensis P. Smirn.
(Valerianaceae)
Inhibits the expression of β-APP, Aβ1-40 and formation of senile plaques decreases.
Reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines and cellular fate of cortical and hippocampal neurons in rat model of AD.
[116, 117, 118, 119]
49. Vitis amurensis Rupr.
(Vitaceae)
Inhibits neuronal apoptosis and exhibit antioxidant activity in cultures of rat cortical neurons. Improves learning and memory in mice models of AD [120]
50. Withania somnifera (L) Dunal
(Solanaceae)
Semipurified extract of Withania somnifera reverses Alzheimer's disease pathology. Nerving tonic, aphrodistic, rejuvenative, antioxidant activity, calming effect, reverses behavioural deficit. [32, 121-126]
51. Zingiber officinalis Rosc.
(Zingeberaceae)
Exerts Aβ aggregating, antioxidant and AChE inhibitory activity. [127, 128]