Table 1.
Examples of natural products or natural product derivatives that are currently in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease.
| Drug | Class, Composition and Origin | Mechanism of Action | Clinical Trial Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GV-917 (sodium oligomannate) | Acidic linear oligosaccharides that are found in marine brown algae | Suggested to recondition gut microbiota and alter peripheral immune system response underlying AD pathogenesis and penetrates BBB through GLUT1 destabilising Aβ fibril formation via forming non-toxic monomers | Active (phase 3) | [78,79] |
| ALZT-OP1 | Family of chromones. The drug is a mixture of Cromolyn (a synthetic derivative of the natural product khellin) and ibuprofen | Mast cell stabilizer suggested by decreasing Ca2+ efflux driven granulation and microglial activation modulator | Completed (phase 1) | [80,81] |
| J-147 | Phenyl hydrazide derivative of natural product curcumin | Activation of AMPK and stabilisation of AMPK/ACC1 signaling in mitochondria | Completed (phase 1) | [82,83,84] |
| Epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) | Polyphenol/catechin is commonly found in green tea | Induces α-secretase expression and decreased neuroinflammation by decreasing the expression of TLR4 in animal models | Completed (phase 4) | [85,86,87,88,89] |
| ALZ-801 (Valiltramiprosate) | Homotaurine is a modified amino acid commonly found in seaweed | The prodrug acts as an Aβ aggregation inhibitor with efficacy in APOE4 variants (heterozygotes < homozygotes) | Active (phase 2/3) | [90,91,92] |
| Erinacine A | Cyathin diterpenoid isolated from the mycelia of the mushroom H. erinaceus | Upregulate NGF gene expression, neurotrophic and neuroprotective activities | Completed (N/A) | [93] |