Plant Polyphenols as Neuroprotective Agents in Parkinson’s Disease Targeting Oxidative Stress

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the human midbrain. Various ongoing research studies are competing to understand the pathology of PD and elucidate the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Current pharmacological treatments primarily focused on improving dopamine metabolism in PD patients, despite the side effects of long-term usage. In recent years, it is recognized that oxidative stress-mediated pathways lead to neurodegeneration in the brain, which is associated with the pathophysiology of PD. The importance of oxidative stress is often less emphasized when developing potential therapeutic approaches. Natural plant antioxidants have been shown to mediate the oxidative stress-induced effects in PD, which has gained considerable attention in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Yet, clinical trials on natural polyphenol compounds are limited, restricting the potential use of these compounds as an alternative treatment for PD. Therefore, this review provides an understanding of the oxidative stress-induced effects in PD by elucidating the underlying events contributing to oxidative stress and explore the potential use of polyphenols in improving the oxidative status in PD. Preclinical findings have supported the potential of polyphenols in providing neuroprotection against oxidative stress-induced toxicity in PD. However, limiting factors, such as safety and bioavailability of polyphenols, warrant further investigations so as to make them the potential target for clinical applications in the treatment and management of PD.