OpenLB
Open Library of Bioscience
Advanced Search
Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
06, 2021;17 (6): 1066-1071.

Traditional Chinese medicine for dementia.

Song Li, Zhengzhi Wu, Weidong Le
Author Information
  1. Song Li: Liaoning Provincial Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, P.R. China.
  2. Zhengzhi Wu: Shenzhen Institute of Geriatrics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, P.R. China.
  3. Weidong Le: Liaoning Provincial Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, P.R. China.
PMID: 33682261 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12258

Abstract

In Western medicine, dementia refers to a spectrum of diseases affecting cognition, mental health, and physical abilities. Ancient medical literatures of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also recorded dementia-like symptoms, but described the disease from a totally distinct theoretical point of view. The earliest records of memory loss in ancient China can be traced back 2000 years earlier. In TCM, dementia can be attributed mainly to the Brain dystrophy, Spleen-Kidney weakness, Blood stasis, and Phlegm stagnation. Of interest, ancient Chinese physicians have proposed that dementia manifests as not only cognitive but also noncognitive symptoms including psychiatric disorders and sleep disturbance, which have been investigated widely nowadays in Western medicine. Various TCM prescriptions, herbal medicines, and acupunctures have also been proposed for dementia prevention and therapy. Some of these strategies are still used in current clinical practice. Reviewing and highlighting the unique TCM recognition of treating dementia may shed light on future dementia research.

Keywords

dementia history therapy traditional Chinese medicine

References

  1. Barak Y, Achiron A. Age related disorders in the Bible. Aging & Mental Health. 1998;2(4):275-278.
  2. Boller F, Forbes MM. History of dementia and dementia in history: an overview. J Neurol Sci. 1998;158(2):125-133.
  3. Bosco A, Schneider J, Coleston-Shields DM, Higgs P, Orrell M. The social construction of dementia: systematic review and metacognitive model of enculturation. Maturitas. 2019;120:12-22.
  4. Ekoh PC, George EO, Ejimakaraonye C, Okoye UO. An appraisal of public understanding of dementia across cultures. J Social Work Develop Societies. 2020;2(1):54-67.
  5. Le WD, Chen LD. Treatment of Dementia by Chinese and Western Medicine. China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.; 2018. In Chinese.
  6. Liu J, Wang LN, Tian JZ. Recognition of dementia in ancient China. Neurobiol Aging. 2012;33(12):2948.e11-2948.e13.
  7. Lin Z, Gu J, Xiu J, Mi T, Dong J, Tiwari JK. Traditional Chinese medicine for senile dementia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:692621.
  8. Pei H, Ma L, Cao Y, et al. Traditional Chinese medicine for Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive impairment: a Review. Am J Chin Med. 2020;48(3):487-511.
  9. Ong WY, Wu YJ, Farooqui T, Farooqui AA. Qi Fu Yin-a Ming dynasty prescription for the treatment of dementia. Mol Neurobiol. 2018;55(9):7389-7400.
  10. Fu X, Wang Q, Wang Z, et al. Danggui-Shaoyao-San: new hope for Alzheimer's disease. Aging Dis. 2015;7(4):502-513.
  11. Ren C, Wang B, Li N, et al. Herbal formula Danggui-Shaoyao-San promotes neurogenesis and angiogenesis in rat following middle cerebral artery occlusion. Aging Dis. 2015;6(4):245-253.
  12. Ikarashi Y, Mizoguchi K. Neuropharmacological efficacy of the traditional Japanese Kampo medicine yokukansan and its active ingredients. Pharmacol Ther. 2016;166:84-95.
  13. Matsunaga S, Kishi T, Iwata N. Yokukansan in the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Alzheimers Dis. 2016;54(2):635-643.
  14. Liao W, Xue Z, Wang X, et al. Metabolic profiling deciphering the potential targets of Yi-Gan San against vascular dementia in rat. Brain Res. 2020;1727:146512.
  15. Sun LM, Zhu BJ, Cao HT, et al. Explore the effects of Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Tang on Alzheimer's disease by UPLC-QTOF/MS-based plafuyisma metabolomics study. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2018;151:75-83.
  16. Liu Y, Du T, Zhang W, et al. Modified Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction Ameliorates Aβ Synaptotoxicity in a Murine Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:8340192.
  17. Zeng Q, Li L, Siu W, et al. A combined molecular biology and network pharmacology approach to investigate the multi-target mechanisms of Chaihu Shugan San on Alzheimer's disease. Biomed Pharmacother. 2019;120:109370.
  18. Cheng X, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Zhou W. LW-AFC, a new formula from the traditional Chinese medicine Liuwei Dihuang decoction, as a promising therapy for Alzheimer's disease: pharmacological effects and mechanisms. Adv Pharmacol. 2020;87:159-177.
  19. Zhou W, Cheng X, Zhang Y. Effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction, a traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, on the neuroendocrine immunomodulation network. Pharmacol Ther. 2016;162:170-178.
  20. Tateno M, Ukai W, Ono T, et al. Neuroprotective effects of Yi-Gan San against beta amyloid-induced cytotoxicity on rat cortical neurons. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2008;32(7):1704-1707.
  21. Chen H, Shi YY, Wei ML, et al. Chemical profile of the active fraction of Yi-Gan San by HPLC-DAD-Q-TOF-MS and its neuroprotective effect against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. Chin J Nat Med. 2014;12(11):869-880.
  22. Peng WN, Zhao H, Liu ZS, Wang S. Acupuncture for vascular dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007(2):CD004987.
  23. Kim H, Kim HK, Kim SY, Kim YI, Yoo HR, IC Jung. Cognitive improvement effects of electro-acupuncture for the treatment of MCI compared with Western medications: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):13.
  24. Song YY, Xu WT, Zhang XC, Ni GX. Mechanisms of electroacupuncture on Alzheimer's disease: a review of animal studies. Chin J Integr Med. 2020;26(6):473-480.
  25. Park HK, Song MK, Kim JH, Han JY. A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of electro acupuncture and transcranial direct current stimulation with computerized cognitive rehabilitation in patients with vascular cognitive impairment. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(29):e21263.
  26. Brasure M, Desai P, Davila H, et al. Physical activity interventions in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer-type dementia: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2018;168(1):30-38.
  27. Yang J, Chon TY, Li G, et al. Chi for patients with mild cognitive impairment: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(40):e17118.
  28. Lim KH, Pysklywec A, Plante M, Demers L. The effectiveness of Tai Chi for short-term cognitive function improvement in the early stages of dementia in the elderly: a systematic literature review. Clin Interv Aging. 2019;14:827-839.
  29. Huang W, Wang Y, Li J, et al. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of genipin derivatives for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Chem Biol Drug Des. 2019;93(2):110-122.
  30. Loesche A, Köwitsch A, Lucas SD, et al. Ursolic and oleanolic acid derivatives with cholinesterase inhibiting potential. Bioorg Chem. 2019;85:23-32.
  31. Yoon JH, Youn K, Ho CT, Karwe MV, Jeong WS. Coumaric acid and ursolic acid from Corni fructus attenuated β-amyloid(25-35)-induced toxicity through regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in PC12 cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2014;62(21):4911-4916.
  32. Jiang W, Li S, Li X. Therapeutic potential of berberine against neurodegenerative diseases. Sci China Life Sci. 2015;58(6):564-569.
  33. Huang M, Chen S, Liang Y, Guo Y. The role of berberine in the multi-target treatment of senile dementia. Curr Top Med Chem. 2016;16(8):867-873.
  34. Cai Z, Wang C, Yang W. Role of berberine in Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:2509-2520.
  35. Singh AK, Singh SK, Nandi MK, et al. Berberine: a Plant-derived Alkaloid with therapeutic potential to combat Alzheimer's disease. Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem. 2019;19(3):154-170.
  36. Aski ML, Rezvani ME, Khaksari M, et al. Neuroprotective effect of berberine chloride on cognitive impairment and hippocampal damage in experimental model of vascular dementia. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2018;21(1):53-58.
  37. Yin S, Bai W, Li P, et al. Berberine suppresses the ectopic expression of miR-133a in endothelial cells to improve vascular dementia in diabetic rats. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2019;41(8):708-716.
  38. Moghaddam HK, Baluchnejadmojarad T, Roghani M, et al. Berberine ameliorate oxidative stress and astrogliosis in the hippocampus of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Mol Neurobiol. 2014;49(2):820-826.
  39. Shinjyo N, Parkinson J, Bell J, Katsuno T, Bligh A. Berberine for prevention of dementia associated with diabetes and its comorbidities: a systematic review. J Integr Med. 2020;18(2):125-151.
  40. Sánchez-Vidaña DI, Rajwani R, Wong MS. The use of omic technologies applied to traditional Chinese medicine research. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017;2017:6359730.
  41. Duan DD, Wang Z, Wang YY. New omic and network paradigms for deep understanding of therapeutic mechanisms for Fangji of traditional Chinese medicine. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2018;39(6):903-905.

MeSH Term

Acupuncture Therapy
China
Dementia
History, Ancient
Humans
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
Qi
Historical Article Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Article has an altmetric score of 10

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0dementiamedicineChineseTCMalsoWesterntraditionalsymptomsancientcanproposedtherapyrefersspectrumdiseasesaffectingcognitionmentalhealthphysicalabilitiesAncientmedicalliteraturesrecordeddementia-likedescribeddiseasetotallydistincttheoreticalpointviewearliestrecordsmemorylossChinatracedback2000yearsearlierattributedmainlyBraindystrophySpleen-KidneyweaknessBloodstasisPhlegmstagnationinterestphysiciansmanifestscognitivenoncognitiveincludingpsychiatricdisorderssleepdisturbanceinvestigatedwidelynowadaysVariousprescriptionsherbalmedicinesacupuncturespreventionstrategiesstillusedcurrentclinicalpracticeReviewinghighlightinguniquerecognitiontreatingmayshedlightfutureresearchTraditionalhistory

Similar Articles

Cited By