Acteoside: neurobiological activity spectrum, potential in the treatment of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases

Acteoside (verbascoside, kusaginin) is a phenylethanoid glycoside, which is found in more than 200 species of plants and is characterized by a wide range of pharmacological activity. The results of studies on the neurobiological effects of acteoside, which can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), were summarized and analyzed. The PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and e-Library databases were searched for the following keywords: «acteoside», «Alzheimer’s disease», «Parkinson’s disease», «pathological activation of microglia», «neurotrophic effect», «endoplasmic reticulum stress», «protection of neurons from beta-amyloid», «inhibition of tau protein hyperphosphorylation», «death of dopaminergic neurons», «aggregation of α-synuclein», «cognitive and motor impairment». Experimental studies have shown the ability of acteoside to inhibit pathological activation of microglia, exert a neurotrophic effect, inhibit endoplasmic reticulum stress, protect neurons from beta-amyloid, inhibit tau-protein hyperphosphorylation, reduce intracellular Ca2+ mobilization dysfunction, protect neurons from glutamate-induced neurotoxicity, prevent dopaminergic neuron death, reduce α-synuclein aggregation, and attenuate cognitive and motor impairments. This compound has good prospects for chemical modification, as its structure features several reactive sites. In the future, acteoside may be used as a multi-purpose complex therapy for AD and PD.