Ecdysterone and its activity on some degenerative diseases.

Beside ecdysone (1), ecdysterone (2) is one of the most common 5beta-cholest-7-en-6-one (ecdysteroid) derivatives, which, besides having a hormonal effect on invertebrates, possesses a number of favorable non-hormonal biological effects on mammals. The most interesting of these is that on degenerative diseases, one of which, up to now not clarified in detail, is the so-called adaptogenic effect (protection of the organism against adverse stress factors) associated with anabolic, gastroprotective, and antioxidant effects. A second group of favorable effects is the possibility of suppression of neurodegenerative processes and protection of the cardiovascular system (metabolic syndrome symptom suppression, antidiabetic activity, and protection of heart and blood vessels). Because of these properties, ecdysterone has the potential to be developed as a medicinal agent.