Astragalin confers coordinated neuroprotection in Parkinson's disease models through modulation of neurotrophic, anti-inflammatory, and synuclein-related pathways.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) remains a neurodegenerative disorder without effective disease-modifying therapies, largely due to its multifactorial pathogenesis. We report that the natural flavonoid Astragalin (AST) concurrently addresses three core pathological processes in PD, namely dopaminergic neuron degeneration, α-synucleinopathy, and neuroinflammation, through coordinated modulation of interconnected molecular pathways. In both subacute MPTP- and chronic rotenone-induced murine PD models, AST preserved 85% of nigral tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons, fully prevented motor deficits, and suppressed phosphorylated α-synuclein (α-Syn) accumulation and Lewy body-like inclusion formation. Mechanistically, AST activated the BDNF-TrkB/AKT pro-survival pathway, enhanced NRF2-mediated antioxidant defense, and suppressed neuroinflammatory cascades by dual inhibition of Notch1/HES-1 and COP1-C/EBPβ signaling, leading to attenuated microglial and astrocytic activation. These findings position AST as a promising multi-target therapeutic neuroprotective candidate with disease-modifying potential, providing a structural scaffold for developing combination-inspired anti-PD strategies.