Molecules 2000, 5, 1439–1460 molecules ISSN 1420-3049 http://www.mdpi.org Cyclohexenonic Long-Chain Fatty Alcohols as Neuronal Growth Stimulators Bang Luu1*, José-Luis González de Aguilar1,2 and Céline Girlanda-Junges1 1Laboratoire de Chimie Organique des Substances Naturelles, UMR CNRS 7509, Centre de Neurochimie, Université Louis Pasteur, 5, rue Blaise Pascal, 67084 Strasbourg cedex, France. Tel.: +33-(0)3-88-411672. Fax: +33-(0)3-88-607464. 2Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie Cellulaire et Integrée, UMR CNRS 7519, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France. * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
[email protected] Received: 13 November 2000; in revised form: 7 December 2000 / Accepted: 7 December 2000 / Published:22 December 2000 Abstract: Neurotrophic factors play an important role in the development and maintenance of neurons, thus providing a suitable therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, their clinical use has revealed problematic because of a number of technical and biological disadvantages. Among the different strategies proposed to overcome such difficulties, the search for non-peptide substances with neurotrophic potential is giving promising results. Here we will expose major findings in this field, drawing special attention to cyclohexenonic long-chain fatty alcohols, a novel family of compounds that promote neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth. Keywords: cyclohexenonic long-chain fatty alcohol, neurite outgrowth, neuronal survival, neurotrophic compound, neurotrophic factor, NGF, synthesis © 2000 MDPI. All rights reserved. Molecules 2000, 5 1440 1. Introduction 2. Neurotrophic compounds as therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases 2.1. Natural neurotrophic factors 2.2. Non-peptide neurotrophic factor analogues 3. Long-chain fatty alcohols 4.