Strategic research on natural products and herbs for brain and cognitive functions

Abstract

Currently, the prevalence of neuropsychological disorders has increased. The therapeutic and preventive strategies which are safe, cheap and easy to approach are still very much essential. Herbs are widely used in traditionally folklore for treating various ailments. However, one important burden for the implementation of herbal medicine in the main health care system of the country is the limitation of supported evidence. Therefore, the scientific researches which focus on the quality control of the product, safety consumption and the efficacy of herbal products are emphasized. At present, the development of herbal health products for enhancing the function of the nervous system and for treating the neuropsychological disorders has gained much attention. Under the current international guideline, the development of herbal products requires both preclinical and clinical studies. All steps should be performed according to the standard guidelines of various types of herbal products. For the modified herbal medicines, the toxicity study is very much essential. In order to assess the pharmacological effect of the product, numerous steps are required. In brief, target should be identified and validated. Once a target has been chosen, molecules which possess suitable characteristics to make acceptable drugs or the possible active ingredient(s) should be identified. The pharmacokinetic study which focus on “ADME”, in vivo pharmacological study and drug interaction study are very much important before moving forward to clinical study. Reference: -World Health Organization 2005 Operational guidance: Information needed to support clinical trials of herbal products, Geneva, Switzerland. -World Health Organization (Regional Office in South-East Asia, New Delhi) 2003 Guidelines for the regulation of herbal medicines in the South-East Asia Region, Geneva, Switzerland. -Huges JP, Rees S, Kalindijan SB, Philpott KL. Principles of early drug discovery. Br J Pharmacol. 2011 Mar;162(6):1239-49. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.01127.x. Acknowledgement: National Research Council of Thailand, Thailand Research Fund, Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization), Faculty of Medicine and Khon Kaen University