Curcumin Derivatives for Alzheimer's Disease: Structure-Activity Relationships, Predictive Physicochemical Parameters and Molecular Docking

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder linked to amyloid-β plaques, tau tangles, and oxidative stress. Curcumin has shown potential in targeting these issues, but its poor bioavailability and limited ability to cross the blood-brain barrier reduce its effectiveness. This study explores Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) described in literature and relates them to results obtained in a study where the therapeutic potential of curcumin derivatives was assessed. Using computational tools, key physicochemical properties of those derivatives were analyzed. The derivatives were also used in a molecular docking experiment. Experimental findings helped validate the previously established structure-activity relationships and helped provide a future perspective of possible structural modifications to obtain new analogs with greater therapeutic potential.