Cucurbitacin E has neuroprotective properties and autophagic modulating activities on dopaminergic neurons.

Natural molecules are under intensive study for their potential as preventive and/or adjuvant therapies for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). We evaluated the neuroprotective potential of cucurbitacin E (CuE), a tetracyclic triterpenoid phytosterol extracted from the Ecballium elaterium (Cucurbitaceae), using a known cellular model of PD, NGF-differentiated PC12. In our postmitotic experimental paradigm, neuronal cells were treated with the parkinsonian toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) to provoke significant cellular damage and apoptosis or with the potent N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) to induce superoxide (O2(•-)) production, and CuE was administered prior to and during the neurotoxic treatment.

Cytotoxic activity of withanolides isolated from Tunisian Datura metel L.

Withanolide-type steroids, withametelin Q (1) and 12α-hydroxydaturametelin B (2) along with three known withanolides, were isolated from leaves of Datura metel L. (Solanaceae). The respective structures, characterized mainly by NMR spectroscopy, were identified as (20R,22R,24R)-21,24-epoxy-1α,3β-dihydroxywitha-5,25(27)-dienolide-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and (20R,22R,24R)-12α,21,27-trihydroxy-1-oxowitha-2,5,24-trienolide-27-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2).