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Review
. 2024 Oct 6;29(19):4724.
doi: 10.3390/molecules29194724.

Research Progress on the Mechanisms of Protocatechuic Acid in the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment

Shuzhi Liang  1 , Zhongmin Zhao  1 , Leilei Liu  1 , Yan Zhang  1   2 , Xijian Liu  1
Affiliations
Review

Research Progress on the Mechanisms of Protocatechuic Acid in the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment

Shuzhi Liang et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Cognitive impairment (CI) is a type of mental health disorder that mainly affects cognitive abilities, such as learning, memory, perception, and problem-solving. Currently, in clinical practice, the treatment of cognitive impairment mainly focuses on the application of cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists; however, there is no specific and effective drug yet. Procatechuic acid (PCA) possesses various functions, including antibacterial, antiasthmatic, and expectorant effects. In recent years, it has received growing attention in the cognitive domain. Therefore, by summarizing the mechanisms of action of procatechuic acid in the treatment of cognitive impairment in this paper, it is found that procatechuic acid has multiple effects, such as regulating the expression of neuroprotective factors, inhibiting cell apoptosis, promoting the autophagy-lysosome pathway, suppressing oxidative stress damage, inhibiting inflammatory responses, improving synaptic plasticity dysfunction, inhibiting Aβ deposition, reducing APP hydrolysis, enhancing the cholinergic system, and inhibiting the excitotoxicity of neuronal cells. The involved signaling pathways include activating Pi3K-akt-mTor and inhibiting JNK, P38 MAPK, P38-ERK-JNK, SIRT1, and NF-κB/p53, etc. This paper aims to present the latest progress in research on procatechuic acid, including aspects such as its chemical properties, sources, pharmacokinetics, mechanisms for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords: cognitive impairment; mechanism of action; procatechuic acid.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Molecular structure of protocatechuic acid.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Metabolic diagram of protocatechuic acid.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pharmacokinetics of protocatechuic acid.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Ten mechanisms of protocatechuic acid in treating cognitive impairment.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The P38-ERK-JNK and NF-κB pathways.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The akt/GSK-3β/MeF2d signaling pathway.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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