Pharmacological Role of Heterocyclic Compounds in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurological disease that mainly affects the old age people. Neuropathologically, AD is characterized by low level of acetylcholine, loss of synapses and neurons in certain brain regions, accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) and phosphorylation of intracellular tau protein. Patients with AD are characterized by various symptoms such as memory deficits, depression, cognitive dysfunction and difficult to perform daily activities. Currently available drugs for the treatment of AD are used to treat symptomatic relief at an early stage, however the prolonged usage of the drugs may cause adverse side effects. To overcome this, development of drugs produced from natural products is considered as one of the promising alternatives for the treatment of AD. Among that heterocyclic compound play a major role in the development of therapeutic drugs against various disorders. An organic compound which is cyclic or non-cyclic consists of one or more atoms in their ring structure are known as heterocyclic compounds. These heterocyclic compounds occur both in natural and synthetic form and play a major role in the metabolism of all living cells. Most of the organic compounds used as drugs have a heterocyclic core in their skeleton. Nitrogenous bases such as purines and pyrimidines present in DNA, chlorophyll, vitamins contain heterocycle in their structure. Other compounds containing heterocycles are proline, morphine, furan, vinblastine, cephalosporin, penicillin etc. This review summarizes the nomenclature, classification, and the role of heterocyclic compounds in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.