Senegenin (Tenuigenin) is a natural product from Polygala tenuifolia used in Chinese medicine with antioxidative and antiinflammatory activity. Senegenin has been studied for nootropic ability to improve cognition. In several independent studies, Tenuigenin attenuated α-synuclein-induced cytotoxicity and α-synuclein phosphorylation by down-regulating polo-like kinase 3 (PLK3) in α-synuclein cell model of Parkinson′s Disease, improved behavioral Y-maze learning by enhancing synaptic plasticity in mice, and attenuated hepatic ischemia-reperfusion induced cognitive dysfunction by increasing hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NR2B subunit expression in rats.

Senegenin is a natural product used in Chinese medicine with antioxidative and antiinflammatory activity.

Senegenin is lipophilic and hydrosoluble. It is chemically represented as (2β,3β,4α,12α)-12-(Chloromethyl)-2,3-dihydroxy-27-norolean-13-ene-23,28-dioic acid. Senegenin plays a protective role against memory impairment in a dose and time dependent manner.