Angelicae Sinensis Radix in Neurodegenerative Diseases： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of diseases caused by degeneration and dysfunction of the cells and tissues of the central nervous system， mainly including Alzheimer's disease （AD）， Parkinson's disease （PD）， and epilepsy. A common clinical manifestation of these diseases is cognitive decline. Neurodegenerative diseases are more common in the elderly. As population aging is aggravating， neurodegenerative diseases have aroused increasing concern since they seriously affect human health and quality of life. The pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases is complex， mainly related to mitochondrial dysfunction， apoptosis， neurotoxin， neurotransmitter abnormalities， oxidative stress， and inflammation. Although western drugs on the market can attenuate the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases， they may induce severe adverse reactions and are thus not conducive to long-term use by the patients. The Chinese herbal medicine Angelicae Sinensis Radix was first recorded in the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica （Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing）. It has the functions of activating blood， tonifying blood， modulating the immune system， regulating menstruation， and relieving pain. This paper summarizes the research progress in the effects of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and the prescriptions containing this medicine on neurodegenerative diseases in recent 10 years， aiming to provide a reference for the future application and research of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.