Islam_2017_Int.J.Biol.Macromol_97_700

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a well-known cause of memory loss and dementia in elderly people all across the world. It is pathophysiologically characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid beta (Abeta) proteins and retention of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. Several enzymes, such as lipoxygenases, acetylcholinesterases, secretases, glycogen synthase kinase 3, caspases, sirtuins have been reported to actively participate in the pathogenesis of AD. Due to the limited drug for the management of AD till now (only memantine and four other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors), there is an urgent need to find out the novel inhibitors that could specifically act against these enzymes or therapeutically important targets, and barricade or decelerate AD progression. In this current review, we aim to unravel various enzymes and their potential inhibitors that could be exploited against AD pathogenesis. We have also covered several other important miscellaneous targets which could be used as AD therapeutics.