Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antiapoptotic Effects of <em>Euterpe oleracea</em> Mart. (açaí) in Improving Cognition Deficits: Potential Therapeutic Implications for Alzheimer's Disease

Euterpe oleracea Martius, also popularly known as a&ccedil;a&iacute; palm, is a palm tree of the Aracaceae family widely found in the Amazon region. Traditional plant use reports indicate the beneficial effects of a&ccedil;a&iacute; juice on fever, pain, and flu. Moreover, many studies have demonstrated the pharmacological potential of a&ccedil;a&iacute;, mainly the pulp and seed of the fruit, due to its chemical composition, which significantly consists of polyphenols. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in investigating the neuroprotective effects of a&ccedil;a&iacute;, with the potential for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, mainly due to the increasing aging of the population that has contributed to the increase in the number of individuals affected by this disease that has no cure. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the potential role of a&ccedil;a&iacute; fruit in preventing or treating cognitive deficits, highlighting its potential in Alzheimer's disease therapy. Preclinical in vivo and in vitro pharmacological studies were utilized to investigate the learning and memory effects of the pulp and seed of the a&ccedil;a&iacute; fruit, focusing on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and autophagy restoration actions.