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Review
. 2022 Dec;30(12):1755-1764.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.10.004. Epub 2022 Oct 12.

An update on the novel and approved drugs for Alzheimer disease

Hassan Ahmad Alhazmi  1   2 , Mohammed Albratty  1
Affiliations
Review

An update on the novel and approved drugs for Alzheimer disease

Hassan Ahmad Alhazmi et al. Saudi Pharm J. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Given the severity of the condition and the increasing number of patients, developing effective therapies for Alzheimer's disease has become a significant necessity. Aggregation of Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) plaques and Tau Protein Tangles in the brain's nerve tissue are two of the most histopathological/pathophysiological symptoms. Another important element involved in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease is the reduction in acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain. Currently available medications for Alzheimer's disease treatment, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and an antagonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, can temporarily reduce dementia symptoms but not stop or reverse disease development. In addition, several medicinal plants have been shown to diminish the degenerative characteristics associated with Alzheimer's disease, either in its crude form or as isolated chemicals.

Aim: This review summarises the results from previous studies that reflect an array of novel therapies underway in various phases of clinical trials. Many are discontinued due to non-adherence to the designed endpoints or the surfacing of unavoidable side effects. The present piece of article focuses on the approved drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and their related mode of action as well as the promising therapies for the treatment of the said disease. Special attention has been placed on the researched herbal drugs, with the pipeline of novel therapies underway in various phases of clinical trials.

Result: The current article includes a list of approved pharmaceuticals for treating Alzheimer's disease, prospective therapies for the illness's treatment, and a pipeline of novel therapies in various stages of clinical trials.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the drugs under clinical trials may open new pathways for the effective treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease while improving their quality of life.

Keywords: Acetyl choline; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) plaques; Clinical trials; Herbal drugs; Tau Protein Tangles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pathophysiological features of Alzheimer’s disease.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Representation of Tau Protein tangles.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Conventional class of drugs for the treatment of AD.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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