A recent review on ginseng's effects on neurodegenerative diseases: active ingredients, mechanisms of action, applications, and delivery strategies.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) pose a major health challenge due to their high prevalence and the lack of effective treatments; ginseng, as medicine and food homology, has potential neuroprotective effects. Methods: This article provides a systematic review of research conducted over the past five years on the use of ginseng to treat NDDs, summarizing and analyzing the findings in four key areas: active components, mechanisms of action, clinical applications, and novel delivery strategies. Results: Ginsenosides are the core active ingredients in ginseng, while polysaccharides, essential oils, and peptides also exert synergistic effects through various pathways; their mechanisms of action include regulating Aβ/tau protein aggregation, inhibiting microglial activation, reducing glutamate excitotoxicity, and restoring mitochondrial function and antioxidant balance. In models of AD, PD, HD, and ALS, ginseng's active components have been shown to improve both behavioral and pathological indicators, while novel delivery strategies (nanoparticles, exosomes, and engineered cellular carriers) can significantly enhance blood-brain barrier permeability and brain-targeting efficiency. Conclusion: Ginseng exhibits protective effects against NDDs through multiple mechanisms of action. However, current evidence is largely limited to preclinical studies, and future efforts should focus on advancing the clinical translation of safe and effective brain-targeted delivery systems.