Work

Treatment of vascular dementia based on neuroprotection and neural repair strategies: from pathophysiology to natural products

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Vascular dementia (VaD) is a heterogeneous cognitive disorder associated with cerebrovascular pathology and persistent vascular dysfunction. Because effective disease-modifying therapies remain limited, natural products have attracted interest as potential interventions for the complex pathology of VaD. This review examines their effects from two complementary perspectives: neuroprotection and neural repair. Experimental studies indicate that natural products can influence several interconnected processes, including redox imbalance, neuroinflammation, cell survival, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, vascular remodeling, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. However, the available evidence varies considerably among isolated compounds, botanical extracts, and herbal formulations. Some isolated compounds have been supported by relatively coherent relationships between molecular targets, tissue responses, and functional outcomes, whereas evidence from clinical studies remains much more limited. We therefore consider the current mechanistic evidence together with the major challenges in pharmacokinetics, quality control, and clinical translation.

Source: Frontiers in Pharmacology

DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1942636