Bilobalide isolated from Ginkgo leaf tea alleviates Parkinson's disease via suppressing neuroinflammation and remodeling gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder with limited effective treatments. Ginkgo leaf tea (GLT), derived from the dried leaves of Ginkgo biloba, has long been consumed for its cardiovascular and neurological health benefits. However, the neuroprotective compounds in GLT and their mechanisms of action in PD remain largely unexplored.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to isolate neuroprotective constituents from GLT and investigate their therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms in the context of PD.

METHODS

Neuroactive compounds were identified through bioactivity-guided fractionation and GNPS molecular networking. The effects of the principal component, bilobalide (BB), were evaluated in MPTP-induced PD mice using behavioral assessments, immunohistochemistry, and histopathological analysis. Mechanistic studies integrated network pharmacology with transcriptomic profiling. The gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were analyzed to explore the modulation of the gut-brain axis.

RESULTS

Ten compounds, including four terpenes, five flavonoids, and one phenol, were isolated from GLT, all showing prophylactic efficacy against PD. Notably, the sesquiterpenoid BB, identified as the key therapeutic component via activity-labeled molecular networking, significantly alleviated MPTP-induced motor deficits and dopaminergic neuronal loss in a dose-dependent manner. Transcriptomic and network analyses revealed that BB mitigated neuroinflammation by modulating the cAMP-PKA-CREB and TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathways. Additionally, BB reshaped the gut microbiota by enriching beneficial taxa (e.g., Lachnospiraceae) and reducing pathogenic species (e.g., Helicobacter), accompanied by increased levels of acetate and butyrate.

CONCLUSION

BB, the predominant active compound in GLT, exerts neuroprotective effects in PD through the dual mechanisms of suppressing neuroinflammatory signaling and restoring gut-brain axis homeostasis. These findings position GLT as a promising dietary source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative diseases.