Exploring the neuroprotective potential of Cecropia peltata: Insights from in vitro and Drosophila melanogaster models

Neurodegenerative disorders represent a major global health burden due to their increasing incidence and the current lack of effective disease-modifying therapies [ 1 ] [ 2 ]. The multifactorial etiology of these disorders underscores the therapeutic potential of natural products, particularly those exhibiting multitarget activity through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms [ 3 ] [ 4 ]. In this context, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of Cecropia peltata , a medicinal plant traditionally used in Colombia for the management of tremors and symptoms linked to neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Ethanolic extracts and derived fractions of C. peltata were obtained and evaluated for their antioxidant activity using DPPH, Folin-Ciocalteu, and FRAP assays. The total extract and methanolic fraction displayed potent antioxidant capacity, with IC 50 values below 50 ppm. The neuroprotective effects of the most promising antioxidant samples were subsequently assessed in acrylamide- and paraquat-induced neurotoxicity models in SH-SY5Y cells and Drosophila melanogaster . Both models revealed that C. peltata extract and fraction significantly attenuated oxidative stress-induced cellular damage. In Drosophila , post-exposure treatment with an acute dose of 1000 ppm (three days) improved the locomotor function in acrylamide-exposed flies, probably through the upregulation of endogenous antioxidant systems. These findings highlight the neuroprotective potential of polar metabolites from C. peltata , supporting their ethnopharmacological use and promoting further investigation into their chemical composition and mechanistic pathways of action. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany