Indian Traditional Medicine in Neurological Disorders

For several neurological disorders, modern medicine offers symptomatic treatment that is often expensive and associated with side effects. Indian system of medicine has traditionally been used in several neurological conditions. The accessibility, cost effectiveness and lower incidence of side effects of plant products offer considerable advantages. Our laboratory has been involved in investigating the efficacy and mechanism of action of Indian medicinal plants in experimental models of stroke, Alzheimer and epilepsy.

Stroke is the second largest cause of mortality and first largest cause of disability worldwide. We evaluated herbal extracts and natural products (Withania somnifera, alpha-tocopherol, melatonin and vineatrol) in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) model of focal ischemia in rats. The study based on magnetic resonance imaging, assessment of neurological deficit, battery of motor performance tests and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress revealed the therapeutic potential of these plant products.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, worldwide about 27 million people suffered from dementia of which about 4 million resides in India. We evaluated the effect of herbal extracts and natural products (Centella asiatica, Celantrus peniculatus, Clitoria ternatea and Evolvulus alsinoides, lipoic acid, melatonin and resveratrol) have been evaluated in the intracerebroventricular streptozotocin Alzheimer's model in rats. The acetycholinesterase (AChE), pseudocholinesterase (BuChE) and levels of oxidative stress parameters have been investigated. The molecular mechanisms involving: Oxygen radical antioxidant activity (ORAC), ABTS free radical scavenging activity, Peroxynitrite radical antioxidant activity (NORAC), AChE & BuChE, Prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), Rho kinase (ROCK II), Glycogen synthase kinase-3-beta were also evaluated and were found to have potential in Alzheimer's disease.

Various plant extracts were also evaluated for their potential antiepileptic activity in various experimental models of epilepsy in rats. Herbal extracts and natural products including Acorus calamus, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Benincasa hispida, Orchis mascula, Centella asiatica, Zizyphus jujuba and curcumin showed antiepileptic effect. These agents can be used as an adjunts to antiepileptics for increasing their efficacy and decreasing the side effects, particularly cognitive impairment.

These studies scientifically validate the efficacy of medicinal plants in the management of the neurological disorders.