Therapeutic potential of baicalein against neurodegenerative diseases: An updated review

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and epilepsy sickness, currently impact millions of people globally. Thus yet, the primary etiology of these ailments has not been determined. Regretfully, no medication can prevent the onset of these illnesses. The primary risk factor for these illnesses developing is age. Recently, there has been an increase in interest among researchers to investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of herbal remedies for neurodegenerative diseases. Flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenols are examples of secondary metabolites that have been used to prevent adverse effects and delay disease progression. Baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone), a flavonoid found in the traditional Chinese herb Huangqin (Scutellaria Baicalensis George), helps block the age-associated damage pathways linked to neurological diseases. This review offers a plausible argument in favour of baicalein's beneficial effect in models of AD, PD, HD, and epilepsy. Baicalein reduces amyloid-beta and Tau oligomers, oxidative stress, and acetylcholinesterase activity in AD by binding to the enzyme's active site. Additionally, Baicalein reduces mitochondrial dysfunction against N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced neuro-inflammation in PD via inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/gasdermin-D pathway. In HD, Baicalein was used to test its possible neuroprotective ability via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonism against quinolinic acid-induced neurotoxicity. Moreover, Baicalein reduces inflammation in epilepsy by controlling the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor in microglia to prevent pilocarpine-induced epilepsy. The protective effect of Baicalein provides the potential future therapeutic approach against various neurological disorders.