A compound that showed early promise in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in fruit flies has also shown neuroprotective effects in mice, according to researchers at The University of Alabama.
The research, a collaborative project with scientists at the Oregon Health and Science University, could lead to preventative therapies or treatments for Parkinson’s in humans.
Dr. Lukasz Ciesla, associate professor of biological sciences, and Dr. Urmila Maitra, a researcher in his lab, led the project at UA. They found that Gardenin A, a flavonoid found in a common South Asian shrub, reduced both the cognitive and motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The Buzz Behind Flavonoids
The research builds on an earlier study that tested a range of flavonoids — plant-based compounds associated with various health benefits — in fruit flies. The UA team analyzed tissue samples provided by Oregon Health and Science University as the next step in assessing the potential of these compounds in treating diseases like Parkinson’s.
“A few years ago, a study found that certain diets reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions,” Ciesla said. “Much of the focus was on flavonoids, but we didn’t know why they provided this protective effect.”
A number of flavonoids from the fruit fly study showed some benefit, but Gardenin A showed more promise than the others. This second study in mice confirmed that the compound’s neuroprotective effects translated to more complex brains, and it offered some other key insights.
Genetic and Environmental Causes

For one, the latest study used a genetic model, rather than a toxin-induced model like the previous study. The compound showed a benefit in both cases. This is a key finding because both genetic and environmental factors have been linked to Parkinson’s disease in humans.
A potential treatment would need to be broadly effective because these factors are intertwined in the development of the disease, as we understand it. Two people might be exposed to a certain toxin but only one develops the disease due to genetic predisposition.
“We call that a gene by environment interaction,” Ciesla said. “An interaction where a specific genetic background makes someone more or less susceptible to that toxin.”
Ciesla plans to extend his research with Gardenin A to other neurodegenerative conditions such as Lewy body dementia, due in part to its effect on memory-related symptoms.
Improving Movement and Memory
“When people speak about Parkinson’s, they often focus on the motor dysfunction,” he said. “We found this molecule not only improves the mobility in mice, but it also seems to improve memory.”
Gardenin A didn’t only halt or slow the advance of symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease — it improved them.
Ciesla isn’t aware of any other current treatment for Parkinson’s that improves both the motor and cognitive symptoms.
Earlier research into flavonoids often focused on the antioxidant effects of these compounds, but that doesn’t seem to be how they work, says Ciesla.
Their fruit fly study tested both Gardenin A and Gardenin B, related molecules with a key difference: both molecules have antioxidant properties, but Gardenin B was not anti-inflammatory. Only Gardenin A showed the neuroprotective effects.
“These molecules actually resolve neuroinflammation,” Ciesla said. Both studies showed Gardenin A to have a neuroprotective effect, where Gardenin B did not, suggesting that one of the ways this molecule might be working is just by bringing the neuroinflammatory markers down.
He believes this is a big step forward in learning how to best use nature’s own medicines to solve its lingering mysteries.