Neuroprotective effects of verbascoside on eukaryotic models of Parkinson’s disease

Plants are a rich source of bioactive molecules with known health benefits in various sectors such as medicine, cosmetics, and the food industry (https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23123283). To valorize the rich Italian plant biodiversity, a screening of 64 endemic species was performed within the research framework of the NBFC (https://www.nbfc.it/) to identify neuroprotective compounds targeting α-synuclein aggregation, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is currently the fastest growing neurological disorder in the world (https://doi.org/10.1002/prp2.841). Among the tested species, the extracts from Allium lusitanicum, Salvia pratensis, Verbascum thapsus, and Glaucium flavum showed strong anti-aggregant activity in both yeast and SH-SY5Y cells overexpressing human α-synuclein, as well as in in vitro aggregation assays. Through mass spectrometry, verbascoside, the major component of the V. thapsus extract, was identified and subsequently confirmed as the key compound able to directly bind α-synuclein by preventing the formation of its toxic oligomeric species. Currently, verbascoside is under investigation in a well-known Drosophila melanogaster PD model based on DJ-1β inactivation to assess its efficacy in suppressing PD-related phenotypes also at the organismal level. These studies will allow to better exploit its potential as a promising compound in the prevention/treatment of PD.