How flavonoids can be used as a preventative and therapeutic intervention against Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease that causes the progressive decline of memory related functions and cognitive abilities. Alzheimer’s Disease is characterized by its difficulty in diagnosis and treatment, as current treatments are only able to ameliorate the symptoms and partially decelerate the progression of the disease. Alzheimer’s Disease can be caused by the disruption of mechanisms leading to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation as well as by daily life factors including diet and obesity. Flavonoids are molecules mainly found in plant-based products. They are discussed as therapeutic agents for AD in several research studies because of their anti-inflammatory antioxidative and neuroprotective effects. In this review paper, seven subclasses of flavonoids, including flavanols, isoflavanols, anthocyanins, chalcones, flavones, flavonols and flavanones, will be evaluated in terms of their effects on the pathology of AD, mechanisms involved in oxidative stress and neuroinflammation as well as their integration in the daily-life diet.