Comparative brain cholinesterase-inhibiting activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Myristica fragrans, ascorbic acid, and metrifonate in mice.
The central cholinergic pathways play a prominent role in the learning and memory processes. Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine. The present study was undertaken to estimate the acetylcholinesterase- inhibiting activity of extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Myristica fragrans seeds, and ascorbic acid and compare these values with a standard acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting drug, metrifonate. Aqueous extract of G. glabra (150 mg/kg p.o. for 7 successive days), n-hexane extract of M. fragrans seeds (5 mg/kg p.o. for 3 successive days), ascorbic acid (60 mg/kg i.p. for 3 successive days), and metrifonate (50 mg/kg i.p.) were administered to young male Swiss albino mice. Acetylcholinesterase enzyme was estimated in brains of mice. G. glabra, M. fragrans, ascorbic acid, and metrifonate significantly decreased acetylcholinesterase activity as compared with their respective vehicle-treated control groups.
Dhingra
Dinesh
D
Pharmacology Division, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India. din_dhingra@rediffmail.com
Parle
Milind
M
Kulkarni
S K
SK
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D006586:Hexanes; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D026323:Myristica / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D014236:Trichlorfon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014867:Water
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D006586:Hexanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; C026385:n-hexane; D014236:Trichlorfon; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid