Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by progressive dementia, neuroinflammation and the accumulation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and extracellular plaques. The etiology of AD is unclear, but is generally attributed to four leading hypotheses: (i) abnormal folding and aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ)/tau proteins (ii) activation of the innate immune system, (iii) mitochondrial dysfunction, and (iv) oxidative stress. To date, therapeutic strategies have largely focused on Aβ-centric targets; however, the repeated failure of clinical trials and the continued lack of a disease-modifying therapy demand novel, multifaceted approaches. Natural products are common molecular platforms in drug development; in AD, compounds from the plant phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway have yielded promising associations. Herein, we review developments in the pathogenesis of AD and the metabolism of phenylpropanoids in plants. We further discuss the role of these metabolites as relevant to the four leading mechanisms of AD pathogenesis, and observe multiple protective effects among phenylpropanoids against AD onset and progression.

阿尔茨海默氏病（AD）是一种神经退行性疾病，其特征在于进行性痴呆，神经炎症以及细胞内神经原纤维缠结和细胞外斑块的积累。AD的病因尚不清楚，但通常归因于四个主要假设：（i）β-淀粉样蛋白（Aβ）/ tau蛋白的异常折叠和聚集（ii）先天免疫系统的激活，（iii）线粒体功能障碍，以及（iv）氧化应激。迄今为止，治疗策略主要集中在以Aβ为中心的靶点上。然而，临床试验的反复失败和持续缺乏改善疾病的疗法需要新颖，多方面的方法。天然产物是药物开发中常见的分子平台。在AD中，来自植物苯丙烷代谢途径的化合物产生了有希望的关联。本文中，我们回顾了AD的发病机理和植物中苯丙烷代谢的发展。我们进一步讨论了这些代谢物与AD发病机理的四个主要机制相关的作用，并观察了苯丙烷类化合物对AD发病和进展的多重保护作用。