Structure and Source

Santalol (C??H??O) is a bicyclic sesquiterpene compound with two types of isomers: α and β. The two bridged ring frameworks are different: α-type has a tricyclic structure, while β-santalol has a cyclopropane ring. They have a sweet and gentle woody aroma, with a very long-lasting scent. The aroma of the α-type is more pleasant, and usually they are found as a mixture of both types. Currently, santalol is extracted from the heartwood of perennial sandalwood trees. With the gradual depletion of sandalwood species resources, it has become an urgent need to use synthetic biology to produce santalol.

Biological Activity

Santalol can delay aging and improve healthy lifespan. It has an inhibitory effect on toxic amyloid protein-β (Aβ1-42), which aggregates and forms polyglutamine repeat sequences (Q35, Q40, and HTNQ150) in nematode models of Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Different santalol isomers selectively regulate SKN-1/Nrf2 and EOR-1/PLZF transcription factors through RTK/Ras/mapk-dependent signal transduction, thereby triggering the expression of various antioxidant and protein aggregation inhibitory genes. Santalol can prolong lifespan, help reduce age-induced protein oxidation and aggregation, and has great potential in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)!