NEUROTOXIC SESQUITERPENOIDS FROM THE YELLOW STAR THISTLE CENTAUREA-SOLSTITIALIS L (ASTERACEAE)

Ingestion of yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.) by horses produces parkinsonism due to nigro-pallidal degeneration. The toxin responsible has not been identified so far. A CH2Cl2 extract from the aerial parts of C. solstitialis exhibited significant neurotoxicity against primary neuronal cultures of foetal rat brain. Activity-guided fractionation yielded the known sesquiterpene lactones solstitialin A (1), 13-O-acetylsolstitialin A (3), cynaropicrin (4), and the hitherto unknown 3-O-acetylsolstitialin A (2). In the bioassay with rat foetal full cell culture, 3 and 4 were toxic in a concentration-dependent manner and may be responsible for the ability of the plant to cause neurodegenerative changes in the brain of horses.