title: Inhibition of glycohydrolase enzymes by aqueous extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs in a microplate format.
abstract: A microplate assay, for use with a variety of glycohydrolase enzymes, was developed to aid the screening of Chinese medicinal herb extracts for the presence of potential anti-viral and anti-lymphoma compounds. The microplate assay method described offers greater convenience, speed and reproducibility over existing methods. The enzymes tested were alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase. The assay can be easily adapted for use with other glycohydrolase enzymes. Of the 12 herb extracts examined four did not inhibit any of the enzymes (< 50% inhibition), one inhibited alpha-glucosidase only (> 50% inhibition), six inhibited beta-glucuronidase only, and one inhibited both alpha-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase. None of the extracts were capable of inhibiting beta-glucosidase to any significant extent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000201:enzymology; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002241:Carbohydrates; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D005966:Glucuronidase