Antioxidants Could Possibly Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases

Antioxidants can potentially be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, a recent study found.

Researchers believe that compounds involved in oxidative stress could potentially treat these diseases.

In the study, which was published by the British Journal of Pharmacology, researchers are specifically looking at ways to increase antioxidant capacity through targeting the Nrf2 pathway and also developing NADPH oxidase inhibitors.

Decreased production of nitric oxide and stopping mitochondrial dysfunction also limit oxidative stress.

"There are still several gaps in our understanding of the basis of oxidative damage in neurodegenerative disorders," said lead study author Gethin McBean, PhD. “However, it is increasingly accepted that many diseases share common pathways of oxidative stress-related damage, and it's likely that significant progress will be made in the design and implementation of effective therapeutic strategies in the next few years.”