Phytoecdysteroids and vitamin D analogues—Similarities in structure and mode of action
Abstract
Phytoecdysteroids are plant steroids with identical or analogue structures to the molting hormone in arthropods. The ecdysteroids exert several beneficial effects on mammals, from which the most cited and deeply examined one is the increase of muscle size and strength. This shows similarities with the mode of action of the androgenic steroids but the ecdysteroids do not bind to the cytoplasmic/nuclear receptor of the mammalian steroids. These findings led to the hypothesis that ecdysteroids possibly bind to membrane bound receptors and they are likely to influence signal transduction pathways. Probably because of their closely related chemical structures, ecdysteroids exert some similar effects in vertebrates to those of the hormone 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D) which is produced in the kidney from 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, after being converted in the liver from Vitamin D3. 1,25D generates biological responses via both genomic and rapid, nongenomic mechanisms. Structure-activity relationship studies with different Vitamin D analogues could open the possibility to show that the two ways of action (genomic and nongenomic) can be influenced separately. The connection between the Vitamin D status and muscle function is already well-described in clinical studies, and several efforts have been made to evaluate the effect of Vitamin D deficiency or supplementation on muscle morphological changes and the underlying molecular mechanisms. This paper aims to summarize the main structural commonalities between the ecdysteroids, 1,25D and other Vitamin D analogues. The similarities in their effects and pathways that might be involved in the mechanism of action of these compounds will also be discussed.
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Endogenous mammalian steroid hormones usually accompany a positive anabolic effect with a dangerous androgenic one.
“This is in contrast to steroid hormones that are endogenous in mammals that usually accompany the positive anabolic effect with an often dangerous androgenic one [4,5,6].”
From Molecular Targets of 20-Hydroxyecdysone in Mammals, Mechanism of Action: Is It a Calorie Restriction Mimetic and Anti-Aging Compound? (2025) · cites this paper as [5]
Beta-ecdysone has no direct binding to the androgen receptor or other cytosolic steroid receptors.
“However, βEcd is shown to have no direct binding to the androgen receptor or other cytosolic steroid receptors [25, 64, 65]”
From Prevention of glucocorticoid induced bone changes with beta-ecdysone (2015) · cites this paper as [65]
The anabolic effect of beta-ecdysone on male skeleton may be independent of its androgen-like structure.
“suggesting that our observation of an anabolic effect of βEcd on male skeleton may be independent of its androgen-like structure.”
From Prevention of glucocorticoid induced bone changes with beta-ecdysone (2015) · cites this paper as [65]
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Foucault, A., Mathé, V., Lafont, R., Even, P., Dioh, W., Veillet, S., Tomé, D., Huneau, J., Hermier, D., & Quignard‐Boulangé, A. (2012) · Obesity · doi:10.1038/oby.2011.257 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
“Probably because of their closely related chemical structures, ecdysteroids exert some similar effects in vertebrates to those of the hormone 1-α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) which generates biological responses via both genomic and rapid, nongenomic mechanisms (44).”
BackgroundNatural products and skeletal muscle health
Qu, Z., Zhou, S., Li, P., Liu, C., Yuan, B., Zhang, S., & Liu, A. (2021) · The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108619 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Martins, A., Csábi, J., Balázs, A., Kitka, D., Amaral, L., Molnár, J., Simon, A., Tóth, G., & Hunyadi, A. (2013) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules181215255 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“Their A/B ring junction is usually cis, and a characteristic 7-en-6-one (α,β-unsaturated ketone) chromophore group is present in their B-ring [4].”
BackgroundSelf-citationPrevention of glucocorticoid induced bone changes with beta-ecdysone
Dai, W., Jiang, L., Lay, Y.-A. E., Chen, H., Jin, G., Zhang, H., Kot, A., Ritchie, R. O., Lane, N. E., & Yao, W. (2015) · Bone · doi:10.1016/j.bone.2015.01.001 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“However, βEcd is shown to have no direct binding to the androgen receptor or other cytosolic steroid receptors [25,64,65], suggesting that our observation of an anabolic effect of βEcd on male skeleton may be independent of its androgen-like structure.”
Csábi, J., Hsieh, T.-J., Hasanpour, F., Martins, A., Kele, Z., Gáti, T., Simon, A., Tóth, G., & Hunyadi, A. (2015) · Journal of Natural Products · doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00249 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
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“Vitamin D receptor and non-genomic pathways - As noted before by (Toth et al., 2010), there is a structural similarity between the active form of vitamin D3 (1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 1,25D) and PEs.”
BackgroundLittle, A., Murphy, K., & Solverson, P. M. (2021) · Diabetology · doi:10.3390/diabetology2020007 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“The authors speculate that one possible mechanism of action of 20HE could be similar to biological activities of active-form 1-α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 by binding to membrane (not nuclear) receptors to activate signal transduction pathways [24].”
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Self-citationRapid, laser-induced conversion of 20-hydroxyecdysone – A follow-up study on the products obtained
Lai, W.-C., Dankó, B., Csábi, J., Kele, Z., Chang, F., Pascu, M., Gáti, T., Simon, A., Amaral, L., Tóth, G., et al. (2014) · Steroids · doi:10.1016/j.steroids.2014.07.016 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“Ecdysteroids are significantly different from the mammalian steroid hormones, although they show some structural similarities to vitamin D, which might serve as an explanation for most (if not all) of the effects of these compounds in mammals [7].”
Self-citationCsábi, J., Martins, A., Sinka, I., Csorba, A., Molnár, J., Zupkó, I., Tóth, G., Tillekeratne, L. M. V., & Hunyadi, A. (2016) · MedChemComm · doi:10.1039/c6md00431h · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Self-citationNovel Ecdysteroids fromSerratula wolffii
Ványolós, A., Béni, Z., Dékány, M., Simon, A., & Báthori, M. (2012) · The Scientific World JOURNAL · doi:10.1100/2012/651275 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“The structures of compounds 1–3 were determined by extensive spectroscopic techniques, including oneand two-dimensional NMR methods.”
MethodSelf-citationZádor, E. (2025) · Cells · doi:10.3390/cells14060431 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Self-citationEffects of 20-hydroxyecdysone on UVB-induced photoaging in hairless mice
Lim, H.-S., Yoon, K., Lee, D. H., Lee, Y.-S., Chung, J. H., & Park, G. (2023) · Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114899 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Phytoecdysteroids from Dianthus superbus L.: Structures and anti-neuroinflammatory evaluation
Hou, X.-L., Gao, Y.-Q., Yang, J., Liu, H.-W., Bai, M.-M., Wu, Z.-H., Li, C., Tian, J., & Gao, J. (2023) · Phytochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113710 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Oxo-analogues of 20-hydroxyecdysone in the synthesis of novel fluorinated ecdysteroid derivatives
Савченко, Р. Г., Apaeva, A. V., Kostyleva, S. A., Mozgovoj, O. S., Одиноков, В. Н., & Parfenova, L. V. (2018) · Canadian Journal of Chemistry · doi:10.1139/cjc-2017-0629 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
NEW CONCEPTS OF PHARMACODYNAMICS OF ECDYSTEROIDS
Shchulkin, A. V., Yakusheva, E. N., Davydov, V. V., & Дармограй, В. Н. (2012) · I P Pavlov Russian Medical Biological Herald · doi:10.17816/pavlovj20124164-169 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Anthony, T. G., Mirek, E. T., Bargoud, A. R., Phillipson-Weiner, L., DeOliveira, C. M., Wetstein, B., Graf, B. L., Kuhn, P. E., & Raskin, I. (2015) · Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism · doi:10.1139/apnm-2015-0301 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“2013)), altering vitamin D status or action inmuscle (Toth et al. 2010) and increasing lipolysis so as to improve lean bodymass.”
Background
- Authors
- Toth, N., Hunyadi, A., Bathori, M., & Zador, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Szeged (HU)
- ORCID
- Hunyadi, Attila
- Venue
- Current Medicinal Chemistry
- Publisher
- Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
- Published
- 2010-06-01
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- 1974-1994
- ISSN
- 0929-8673 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2106659408
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Medicinal Chemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- SZTE Publicatio Repozitórium (University of Szeged) (acceptedVersion)
- Repository of the Academy's Library (Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Vitamin D Research Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Phytochemical Studies and Bioactivities
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Steroid Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Keywords
- phytoecdysteroids, vitamin D analogs, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, cell surface receptors, muscle hypertrophy, muscle strength, androgenic steroids, vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation, signal transduction
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Humans, Models, Molecular, Vitamin D, Ecdysteroids
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