Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative
disease
of the central nervous system that occurs in old age and pre-aging,
characterized by progressive cognitive dysfunction and behavioral
impairment. Salidroside (Sal) is a phenylpropanoid mainly isolated
from Rhodiola species with various
pharmacological effects. However, the exact anti-AD mechanism of Sal
has not been clearly elucidated. This meta-analysis aims to investigate
the possible mechanisms by which Sal exerts its anti-AD effects by
evaluating behavioral indicators and biochemical characteristics.
A total of 20 studies were included, and the results showed that the
Sal treatment significantly improved behavior abnormalities in AD
animal models. With regard to neurobiochemical indicators, Sal treatment
could effectively increase the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase,
decrease the oxidative stress indicator malondialdehyde, and decrease
the inflammatory indicators interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, and
tumor necrosis factor α. Sal treatment was effective in reducing
neuropathological indicators, such as amyloid-β levels and the
number of apoptotic cells. When the relevant literature on the treatment
of rodent AD models is combined with Sal, the therapeutic potential
of Sal through multiple mechanisms was confirmed. However, further
confirmation by higher quality studies, larger sample sizes, and more
comprehensive outcome evaluations in clinical trials is needed in
the future.