A compound for use in the prevention or treatment of a neurodegenerative disease, wherein the compound is represented by the structure of formula I or IV: (i) a compound represented by the structure of formula I: wherein A is H or CN; Z is S, SO or SO 2; X 1, X 2, X 3, X 4, X 5, Y 1 and Y 2 are each independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl and OR 1; and Y 3 and Y 4 are each OR 1, wherein each R 1 is independently H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, acyl,-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is an integer of 1 to 20, or a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis, including salts, hydrates, solvates, polymorphs, optical isomers, geometrical isomers, enantiomers, diastereomers, and mixtures thereof; (ii) a compound represented by the structure of formula IV: wherein R 1, R 2, R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, (CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, wherein n is an integer of 1 to 20, acyl and a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis; R 3, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13 and R 14 are independently selected from H, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, haloalkyl and OR 16 wherein R 16 is H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, (CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, acyl or a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis; and R 4 is H or CN; including salts, hydrates, solvates, polymorphs, optical isomers, geometrical isomers, enantiomers, diastereomers, and mixtures thereof. (i) a compound represented by the structure of formula I: wherein A is H or CN; Z is S, SO or SO 2; X 1, X 2, X 3, X 4, X 5, Y 1 and Y 2 are each independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl and OR 1; and Y 3 and Y 4 are each OR 1, wherein each R 1 is independently H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, acyl,-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is an integer of 1 to 20, or a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis, including salts, hydrates, solvates, polymorphs, optical isomers, geometrical isomers, enantiomers, diastereomers, and mixtures thereof; A is H or CN; Z is S, SO or SO 2; X 1, X 2, X 3, X 4, X 5, Y 1 and Y 2 are each independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl and OR 1; and Y 3 and Y 4 are each OR 1, wherein each R 1 is independently H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, acyl,-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is an integer of 1 to 20, or a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis, (ii) a compound represented by the structure of formula IV: wherein R 1, R 2, R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, (CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, wherein n is an integer of 1 to 20, acyl and a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis; R 3, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13 and R 14 are independently selected from H, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, haloalkyl and OR 16 wherein R 16 is H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, (CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, acyl or a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis; and R 4 is H or CN; including salts, hydrates, solvates, polymorphs, optical isomers, geometrical isomers, enantiomers, diastereomers, and mixtures thereof. R 1, R 2, R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, (CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, wherein n is an integer of 1 to 20, acyl and a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis; R 3, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13 and R 14 are independently selected from H, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, haloalkyl and OR 16 wherein R 16 is H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, (CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, acyl or a functional group that gives rise to hydroxyl upon hydrolysis; and R 4 is H or CN;