tomatidine

Tomatidine is a natural steroidal alkaloid found in green tomatoes and tomato leaves, where it serves as the aglycone of tomatine[4][3]. It has demonstrated multiple biological activities in preclinical studies. Tomatidine acts as a potent inhibitor of skeletal muscle atrophy by stimulating mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, leading to increased protein synthesis, muscle hypertrophy, and improved strength and exercise capacity[2][5]. It also exhibits antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus small-colony variants by targeting the bacterial ATP synthase subunit C[1][7]. Additional reported effects include anti-inflammatory action via inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway and JNK signaling pathway, induction of autophagy, antiviral properties (e.g., against dengue virus), cardio- and neuroprotective effects, cholesterol-lowering activity in animal models, and potential benefits for osteoporosis and longevity research[4][6][7]. Tomatidine is not currently approved as a pharmaceutical drug but is under investigation as a lead compound for several indications.

Other names

5α-tomatidan-3α-ol