| 1. Toosendanin (TSN) was used as a digestive tract-parasiticide and agricultural insecticide in ancient China;TSN is a selective presynaptic blocker and an effective antibotulismic agent, by interfering with neurotransmitter release through an initial facilitation followed by a subsequent depression. 2. Toosendanin has antifeedant and growth inhibitory effects, it can significantly deter feeding of 2nd- and 4th-instar larvae in diet choice and leaf disc choice bioassays, resp. 3. Toosendanin can induces outgrowth of neuronal processes and apoptosis in PC12 cells. 4. Toosendanin to be a novel L-type Ca 2+ channel agonist, which possesses a distinct binding site from BayK8644. 5. Toosendanin has effects on the growth, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and the involved signaling pathway in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. |