Exploring the potential of natural and synthetic neuroprotective steroids against neurodegenerative disorders: A literature review.

Abstract

Neurodegeneration is a complex process, which leads to progressive brain damage due to loss of neurons. Despite exhaustive research, the cause of neuronal loss in various degenerative disorders is not entirely understood. Neuroprotective steroids constitute an important line of attack, which could play a major role against the common mechanisms associated with various neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Natural endogenous steroids induce the neuroprotection by protecting the nerve cells from neuronal injury through multiple mechanisms, therefore the structural modifications of the endogenous steroids could be helpful in the generation of new therapeutically useful neuroprotective agents. The review article will keep the readers apprised of the detailed description of natural as well as synthetic neuroprotective steroids from the medicinal chemistry point of view, which would be helpful in drug discovery efforts aimed toward neurodegenerative diseases.

• Authors: Ranju Bansal, Ranjit Singh
• Journal: Medicinal research reviews (Med Res Rev) Vol. 38 Issue 4 Pg. 1126-1158 (07 2018) ISSN: 1098-1128 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28697282 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Neuroprotective Agents
• Steroids

Topics

• Alzheimer Disease (drug therapy)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (drug therapy)
• Animals
• Antioxidants (chemistry)
• Apoptosis
• Brain Injuries (drug therapy)
• Brain Injuries, Traumatic (drug therapy)
• Diabetic Neuropathies (drug therapy)
• Drug Discovery
• Humans
• Huntington Disease (drug therapy)
• Inflammation
• Multiple Sclerosis (drug therapy)
• Neuroprotection
• Neuroprotective Agents (therapeutic use)
• Oxidative Stress
• Parkinson Disease (drug therapy)
• Steroids (pharmacology, physiology)
• Stroke (drug therapy)