Insights & Discussion
The widely-used herbal formula Dang Gui Shao Yao San can alleviate cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease by improving the function of various central nervous systems.
The study examines the impact of the herbal formula Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), commonly used for treating various gynecological conditions, on neurological disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease. DSS has been observed to exert beneficial effects on the central monoamine neurotransmitter systems, improving the functionality of dopaminergic, adrenergic, and serotonergic nervous systems. Furthermore, it has shown a mitigating effect on the dysfunction of the central cholinergic nervous system and a scopolamine-induced decrease in Acetylcholine levels.
In the discussion of results, it was discerned that DSS demonstrates anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, while also reducing cell apoptosis in the hippocampus. Additionally, it's suggested DSS could play a role in moderating free radical-mediated neurological diseases. Of major significance was the observation that DSS can potentially alleviate cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's patients, positioning it as a potentially effective treatment for this disease.
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Danggui Shaoyao San provides clinically important reductions in symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia and can be a promising anti-dementia drug candidate.
2020 Medicine Danggui-Shaoyao-San for dementia: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis Kim Y, Cho SH.
Systematic Review Dang Gui Shao Yao San
A total of 482 studies were identified, and 5 eligible studies for Alzheimer disease (AD) and 4 studies for vascular dementia (VD) were included in the final analysis, representing a total of 567 participants. As for AD, pooled results of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and activities of daily living favored DSS. DSS had synergistic effect with acupuncture over acupuncture alone in MMSE, Hasegawa Dementia Scale, and activities of daily living. In VD, pooled results showed a significant difference in the score of dementia scales such as MMSE and Hasegawa Dementia Scale compared with nootropic drugs. DSS significantly reduced symptoms in patients with VD. The respective size of each RCTs was small and some included studies were of low quality due to their limited description on methodological issues.