Constituent isoflavones of Puerariae radix as a potential neuroprotector in cognitive impairment: Evidence from preclinical studies

With the increasing aging population worldwide, the incidence of senile cognitive impairment (CI) is increasing, posing a serious threat to the health of elderly persons. Despite developing new drugs aimed at improving CI, progress in this regard has been insufficient. Natural preparations derived from plants have become an unparalleled resource for developing new drugs. Puerariae radix (PR) has a long history as Chinese herbal medicine. PR is rich in various chemical components such as isoflavones, triterpenes, and saponins. The isoflavones (puerarin, daidzein, formononetin, and genistein) exhibit potential therapeutic effects on CI through multiple mechanisms. Relevant literature was organized from major scientific databases such as PubMed, Elsevier, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. Using Puerariae radix, Pueraria lobata, isoflavones, puerarin, antioxidant, daidzein, formononetin, genistein, Alzheimers disease, and vascular cognitive impairment as keywords, the relevant literature was extracted from the databases mentioned above. We found that isoflavones from PR have neuroprotective effects on multiple models of CI via multiple targets and mechanisms. These isoflavones prevent A & beta; aggregation, inhibit tau hyperphosphorylation, increase cholinergic neurotransmitter levels, reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, improve synaptic plasticity, promote nerve regeneration, and prevent apoptosis. PR has been used as traditional Chinese herbal medicine for a long time, and its constituent isoflavones exert significant therapeutic effects on CI through various neuroprotective mechanisms. This review will contribute to the future development of isoflavones present in PR as novel drug candidates for the clinical treatment of CI.

Automated summary

With the increasing aging population worldwide, the incidence of senile cognitive impairment (CI) is rising, posing a serious threat to elderly people's health. Natural preparations derived from plants, such as Pueraria radix, have shown potential therapeutic effects on CI through multiple mechanisms. Isoflavones from Pueraria radix have been found to have neuroprotective effects on multiple models of CI, preventing Aβ aggregation, inhibiting tau hyperphosphorylation, and improving synaptic plasticity. This review contributes to the development of isoflavones as new drug candidates for the treatment of CI.