Studies have shown that monomers in Chinese medicine can be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Fructus Broussonetae extract improves learning and memory functions of scopolamine, sodium nitrite, and chloromycetin-induced cognitive dysfunction. Flavone extract from cultivated saussurea can be used as a substitute for animal estrogen to treat Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin inhibits amyloid accumulation in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease, resulting in improved cognitive function.
In this issue, three papers analyzed mechanisms of action in Fructus Broussonetae as well as the flavone extracts from cultivated saussurea and curcumin for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease using histology, immunology, and molecular biology techniques.

? Fructus Broussonetae extract improves cognitive function and endoplasmic reticulum stress in Alzheimer’s disease models 
Neural Regen Res. 2011;6(30):2325-2331.

? Influence of flavone extract from cultivated saussurea on learning and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: a comparison with estradiol benzoate 
Neural Regen Res. 2011;6(30):2332-2336.

? Effects of curcumin on hippocampal Bax and Bcl-2 expression and cognitive function of a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease 
Neural Regen Res. 2011;6(24):1845-1849.