Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with insidious onset and progressive development. It is clinically characterized by cognitive impairment, memory impairment and behavioral change. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture are important components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and are commonly used in clinical treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
This paper systematically summarizes the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine natural products and acupuncture treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which combined with existing clinical and preclinical evidence, based on a comprehensive review of neuroinflammation, and discusses the efficacy and potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine natural products and acupuncture treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Resveratrol, curcumin, kaempferol and other Chinese herbal medicine components can significantly inhibit the neuroinflammation of Alzheimer’s disease in vivo and in vitro, and are candidates for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Acupuncture can alleviate the memory and cognitive impairment of Alzheimer’s disease by improving neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, nerve cell apoptosis and reducing the production and aggregation of amyloid β protein (Aβ) in the brain. It has the characteristics of early, safe, effective and benign bidirectional adjustment. The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis for improving the clinical strategies of TCM for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.