Tuberostemonine ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease pathology by suppression of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway

Abstract

Summary Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder with limited therapeutic options. Here, we report that tuberostemonine (Tub), an alkaloid from Stemona tuberosa, exerts neuroprotective effects in AD models. In Aβ1-42-treated PC12 cells, Tub reduced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and oxidative stress while restoring mitochondrial function. In APP/PS1 transgenic mice, Tub administration improved cognitive performance, reduced amyloid-β plaque deposition, attenuated microglial activation, and attenuated neuronal loss, with efficacy superior to donepezil. Mechanistically, Tub selectively inhibited p38 MAPK phosphorylation without affecting ERK or JNK pathways, as confirmed by pharmacological inhibition and activation experiments. These findings identify Tub as a promising multi-target natural compound for AD intervention through p38 MAPK pathway modulation.