Volume 11 - Volume 11
Study of the Alkaloid Polyneuridine as a Drug Candidate for Therapy of Alzheimer’s Disease
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the progressive and irreversible loss of natural cognitive
functions in most elderly people. There is currently no cure for this neurodegenerative disorder, but
there are therapies available on the market based on substances that inhibit acetylcholinesterase and
cognitive symptoms as a way to improve cholinergic hypofunction. Polyneuridine is the main indole
alkaloid extracted from the bark and leaves of Aspidosperma polyneuron, a brazilian plant species
popularly known as peroba-rosa. The objective of this work is to investigate, through a scientific
prospection, the polyneuridine alkaloid, as well as its anticholinesterase property, since it is known
that the therapy of this disease is based on cholinesterase inhibitors. To carry out the study, two of
the main publication databases of journals such as PubMed and Web of Science were analyzed. To
search for scientific production, we inserted the following keywords combined with the terms in
english to carry out the search in international databases: “Polyneuridine”, “Polyneuridine AND
anticholinesterase properties”, “Polyneuridine AND Alzheimer's disease”. The need for studies on
this alkaloid is urgent, especially since Brazil holds the plant species that produces the most
polyneuridine, but the plant species Aspidosperma polyneuron is on the red line of extinction due to
the unbridled exploitation of its wood. It is concluded that if this exploration scenario continues,
Brazil will lose a very important pharmacological genetic resource of its plant flora.
Paper Details
PaperID: 2477
Author's Name: Viviane Lima Silva and Valéria Lima Silva
Volume: Volume 11
Issues: Volume 11
Keywords: Polyneuridine, Alzheimer's Disease, Aspidosperma Polyneuron, Prospection.
Year: 2021
Month: August
Pages: 4508-4518