2015, Pages 805–818
Chapter 74 – Chinese Herbs for Cognitive Decline: Historical and Contemporary Applications
Medicinal
plants and foods have long been used in China and other parts of East
Asia to slow cognitive decline in aging and to manage age-related memory
impairment. The historical Chinese medical literature is voluminous and
provides numerous citations of disorders consistent with Alzheimer’s
disease and mild cognitive impairment for which plant-based formulations
were recommended. Although some of the plants referred to in the
pre-modern literature have fallen out of use, others continue to be used
in traditional medicine including Polygala tenuifolia, Poria cocos, Panax ginseng, Acorus species, and Rehmannia glutinosa.
In recent decades, a number of traditional formulations have received
research attention, and clinical trials have shown some promising
results. Extracts from Ginkgo biloba and Huperzia serrata
have undergone considerable experimental and clinical testing, and
commercial preparations have been developed. Future research should
involve larger and longer clinical trials and investigate plants that
have fallen into disuse.
Keywords
- Chinese medicine;
- traditional medicine;
- herb;
- medicinal plant;
- dementia;
- memory;
- cognitive decline;
- clinical study;
- review;
- mild cognitive impairment
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