Exploring Therapeutic Potential of Indian Ayurvedic Plants for Parkinson’s Disease Treatment

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder having its root in the degeneration of dopamine producing neurons in the substantia nigra region of the brain. Several factors such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, genetic mutations, environmental toxins, heady injury are causative agents of PD. Exact target for treating PD is still unclear and current therapies are either little efficacy and several side effects. Therefore, alternative therapeutics with higher efficacy and lower secondary effects is of current research interest. In the Indian ayurvedic system, several plants including Mucuna pruriens, Withania somnifera, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia bellirica, Capsicum annuum, Curcuma longa etc. have been reported for promising neuroprotective and symptom-relieving properties. These plants contain diverse group of secondary metabolites for example, phenolics, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, saponin etc. At the molecular level, studies involving cell lines, animal models, and clinical trials have investigated the mechanism by which traditional Indian Ayurvedic plants alleviate PD symptoms. With this background, present book chapter aimed to address anti-Parkinson’s potential of bioactives isolated from plants with special emphasis on Indian Ayurvedic system.