From:  Natural compounds targeting glial activation in Alzheimer’s disease: a review of curcumin, resveratrol, and luteolin

 Comparative table summarizing the mechanisms of action of the three natural compounds.

Pathway categoryMolecular targets/Signaling pathwaysCurcuminResveratrolLuteolin
Anti-inflammatoryNuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathwayInhibits upstream activation via the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation protein-2 (MD-2) complexDeacetylation of the p65 subunit via sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activationDirectly inhibits IKKβ kinase activity
Anti-agingSIRT1/AMPK/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α)Indirect modulationPrimary activator: Increases the NAD+/NADH ratio and SIRT1 activityIndirect activation through the reduction of oxidative stress
Glial modulationMicroglia & astrocyte phenotypePromotes M2 polarization by increasing triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2)Preventing the pro-inflammatory microglial phenotype via SIRT1Inhibits astrocyte reactivity (A1) by reducing glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)
ProteostasisAutophagy & degradationIncreasing the expression of the enzyme neprilysin (NEP) for the degradation of AβInducing autophagy through AMPK activationEnhancing the ERAD pathway through IRE1α/XBP1s activation
Organelle stressEndoplasmic reticulum (ER) & mitochondrial stressMaintaining intracellular calcium homeostasisProtecting mitochondria from oxidative damage via nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)Key regulator: Inhibits the protein kinase RNA-activated-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/CHOP pathway (ER stress)
Tau pathologyGSK-3β/Tau phosphorylationInhibits the physical aggregation of Tau filamentsReduces Tau acetylation, which facilitates its clearanceDirect inhibitor: Binds to the ATP-binding site of GSK-3β