TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES THROUGH IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN UNANI MEDICINE

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) that are characterized by progressive loss of functioning and structure of neurons are of great burden to the individuals and the society. With several hypotheses, the existent cause still remains a mystery for various NDs in healthcare. Protein degradation, inflammation, oxidative stress, environmental factor, mitochondrial defects, abnormal protein accumulation in neuron and familial history are amongst the commonly studied environmental causative factors for NDs. These disorders are a significant cause of disability and mortality, and consequently increasing life spans is one of the key challenges for medical research. The excessive treatment cost has led the world to move to alternative therapy with lower cost and minimal side effects compared to conventional treatments. Medicinal plants have been used for treating various diseases since ancient times in India. Medicinal plants used in Unani System of Medicine cover most of the NDs. It has defined a huge number of plants with multiple therapeutic benefits. In this review, the role of important medicinal plants, viz., Prunella vulgaris L., Melissa officinalis L., Morinda citrifolia L., Hypericum perforatum Linn., Lycopodium serratum, Polygala tenuifolia Willd., Celastrus paniculatus Willd., Cyperus rotundus L., Ziziphus jujube Mill., Juglans regia L., Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, Acorus calmus L., Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr., Ferula asafoetida L., and Zingiber officinale Rosc., on NDs has been discussed. This review highlights the studies carried out on medicinal plants having biological activity to treat several diseases with special reference to ND.