Abstract
Honokiol is a poly-phenolic compound that exerts neuroprotective properties through a variety of mechanisms. It has therapeutic potential in anxiety, pain, cerebrovascular injury, epilepsy, and cognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. It has been traditionally used in medical practices throughout much of Southeast Asia, but has now become more widely studied due to its pleiotropic effects. Most current research regarding this compound has focused on its chemotherapeutic properties. However, it has the potential to be an effective neuroprotective agent as well. This review summarizes what is currently known regarding the mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective and anesthetic effects of this compound and identifies potential areas for further research.
Highlights
Honokiol is a naturally occurring, pleiotropic lignan that can be extracted from Magnolia grandiflora, a species of magnolia common to Japan, and is used in traditional medicines throughout much of Asia
This review focuses primarily on honokiol’s effects in the central and peripheral nervous systems and its role in neuroprotection as related to its anxiolytic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory actions
Lin et al showed that honokiol and magnolol reduced the inflammatory phase of formalin-induced paw-licking in mice and decreased formalininduced c-Fos protein expression in superficial (I-II) laminae of the L4-L5 lumbar dorsal horn [51]
Summary
Honokiol is a naturally occurring, pleiotropic lignan that can be extracted from Magnolia grandiflora, a species of magnolia common to Japan, and is used in traditional medicines throughout much of Asia. This review focuses primarily on honokiol’s effects in the central and peripheral nervous systems and its role in neuroprotection as related to its anxiolytic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory actions. Honokiol’s neuroprotective effects may be related to the promotion of healthy connections among nerve cells, as honokiol and its synthetic analogs have potent neurotrophic activity in vitro www.frontiersin.org
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