Thapsigargin is a non-competitive inhibitor of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA). Structurally, thapsigargin is classified as a guaianolide, and is extracted from a plant, Thapsia garganica. It is a tumor promoter in mammalian cells. Thapsigargin treatment and the resulting ER calcium depletion inhibits autophagy independent of the UPR. Thapsigargin is useful in experimentation examining the impacts of increasing cytosolic calcium concentrations and ER calcium depletion.