Taiwo Olayemi Elufioye
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Title: Natural neuro-protective agents from Nigerian ethnomedicine
Biography
Biography: Taiwo Olayemi Elufioye
Abstract
Strategies and relative mechanisms that protect the central nervous system from neuronal degeneration are called neuroprotection. The degeneration of neurons especially those of the CNS, often lead to an irreversible deterioration of the cognitive and intellectual faculties. These conditions known as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, Lewy body dementia and are characterized by gradual onset of progressive symptoms like language deficit, difficulty in learning and memory loss. Ageing is closely associated with NDs and is a major risk factor among other etiological factors such as genetic, environmental, infection etc. Aggregations of proteins, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and loss of neurotransmitters have also been reported to be common to the pathology of ND. Symptoms of ND especially loss of memory have been adequately managed by traditional medical practitioners all over the world. With the associated side effects of clinically available drugs such as amantadine, mementine, donepezil, selegitine, galantamine and rivastigmine, as well as their high cost of purchase and inconvenience of dosing, there has been a focus on herbs and other natural products used in ethnomedicine for age related CNS disorders. This is in addition to the need to develop newer drugs for better efficacy of treatment. Some natural neuroprotective agents from Nigeria ethnomedicine as well as their relevance in the management of certain neurodegenerative diseases will be discussed.