article · Inflammopharmacology
Erigeron bonariensis is a plant traditionally used in folk medicine to treat brain and head conditions. Researchers tested an ethanolic extract of the plant in a female rat model of Alzheimer's disease induced by ovariectomy and D-galactose. Chemical profiling of the extract via UPLC-ESI-MS identified 42 constituents, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenes, and nitrogenous compounds, eight of which are reported in the Erigeron genus for the first time. Administration of the extract reduced cognitive deficits in water maze trials and protected brain tissues from structural damage. Biochemical testing demonstrated that the extract reduced amyloid-beta aggregation, tau hyperphosphorylation, acetylcholinesterase activity, inflammation, and cellular death markers. It also modulated key signalling cascades, including Jak2/STAT3/NF-kappaB p65 and PI3K/AKT, confirming broad neuroprotective activity in this animal model.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, but effective treatments remain limited. Investigating traditional medicinal plants offers an avenue to discover novel therapeutic compounds. This research provides evidence that Erigeron bonariensis extract acts on multiple pathological pathways of the disease, addressing memory loss, inflammation, and structural brain decline simultaneously.
This work points to Erigeron bonariensis as a potential natural source for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical developments targeted at Alzheimer's disease management. Prospective users would be drug discovery teams and life science companies looking for candidate bioactive compounds. However, because findings are based purely on early-stage in vivo animal testing, substantial clinical validation and formulation work are required before real-world commercial use.
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Erigeron bonariensis is widely distributed throughout the world's tropics and subtropics. In folk medicine, E. bonariensis has historically been used to treat head and brain diseases. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most widespread form of dementia initiated via disturbances in brain function. Herein, the neuroprotective effect of the chemically characterized E. bonariensis ethanolic extract is reported for the first time in an AD animal model. Chemical profiling was conducted using UPLC-ESI-MS analysis. Female rats underwent ovariectomy (OVX) followed by 42 days of D-galactose (D-Gal) administration (150 mg/kg/day, i.p) to induce AD. The OVX/D-Gal-subjected rats received either donepezil (5 mg/kg/day) or E. bonariensis at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day, given 1 h prior to D-Gal. UPLC-ESI-MS analysis identified 42 chemicals, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenes, and nitrogenous constituents. Several metabolites, such as isoschaftoside, casticin, velutin, pantothenic acid, xanthurenic acid, C18-sphingosine, linoleamide, and erucamide, were reported herein for the first time in Erigeron genus. Treatment with E. bonariensis extract mitigated the cognitive decline in the Morris Water Maze test and the histopathological alterations in cortical and hippocampal tissues of OVX/D-Gal-subjected rats. Moreover, E. bonariensis extract mitigated OVX/D-Gal-induced Aβ aggregation, Tau hyperphosphorylation, AChE activity, neuroinflammation (NF-κBp65, TNF-α, IL-1β), and apoptosis (Cytc, BAX). Additionally, E. bonariensis extract ameliorated AD by increasing α7-nAChRs expression, down-regulating GSK-3β and FOXO3a expression, and modulating Jak2/STAT3/NF-ĸB p65 and PI3K/AKT signaling cascades. These findings demonstrate the neuroprotective and memory-enhancing effects of E. bonariensis extract in the OVX/D-Gal rat model, highlighting its potential as a promising candidate for AD management.
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DOI: 10.1007/s10787-023-01418-3
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