Salidroside

Salidroside is a tyrosol glycoside primarily found in the roots of Rhodiola species, exhibiting a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties, including anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Salidroside can improve muscle nutrition by increasing the expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, and MyHC[1]. It alleviates cachexia symptoms in a mouse model of cancer cachexia by activating the mTOR signaling pathway[1]. Furthermore, salidroside protects dopaminergic neurons by enhancing PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy[2]. Its anti-cancer activity is primarily due to the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT, and MEK/ERK pathways, as well as the activation of cell apoptosis and autophagy[3].

In vitro, salidroside significantly increases the expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, and MyHC in C2C12 myotubes and can effectively rescue the downregulation of mTOR, p-mTOR, and MyHC expression induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha[1]. Salidroside (10, 25, and 50µM) significantly prevents MPP+-induced cytotoxicity and reverses the reduction in dopamine, HVA, and DOPAC levels induced by MPTP in the striatum[2]. Additionally, salidroside (100µM) inhibits the activity of prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), an enzyme associated with learning and memory, by 10.6±1.9%[4].

In vivo, salidroside (120 mg/kg/day; i.p.) significantly maintains fat mass and increases lean body mass, especially the mass of the gastrocnemius muscle, indicating a notable improvement in the main features of cancer-associated cachexia in mice[1]. Salidroside (10/20/40 mg/kg/day) also induces a mouse model of testicular damage[5].

References:
[1] Chen X, et al. Salidroside alleviates cachexia symptoms in mouse models of cancer cachexia via activatingmTOR signalling. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2016 May;7(2):225-32.
[2]Li R, et al. Salidroside Protects Dopaminergic Neurons by Enhancing PINK1/Parkin-Mediated Mitophagy. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019 Sep 10; 2019: 9341018.
[3] Zhifeng Z , Jing H , Jizhou Z ,et al.Pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action, and safety of salidroside in the central nervous system[J].Drug Design Development & Therapy, 2018, 12:1479-1489.
[4] Fan W, et al. Prolyl endopeptidase inhibitors from the underground part of Rhodiola sachalinensis. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2001 Apr;49(4):396-401.
[5] Wang Z, et al. Salidroside Ameliorates Furan-Induced Testicular Inflammation in Relation to the Gut-Testis Axis and Intestinal Apoptosis. J Agric Food Chem. 2023 Nov 9.