title: Rapid TLC/GC-MS identification of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in alkaloid extracts.
abstract: Alkaloid extracts from 12 plant species of the families Amaryllidaceae, Fumariacae and Papaveraceae were studied with respect to their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and alkaloid patterns. Fifty-three alkaloids were identified by GC-MS, including known acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as galanthamine, epigalanthamine, sanguinine and epinorgalanthamine in extracts of Amaryllidaceae plants and protopine in extracts of Fumariaceae and Papaveraceae plants. The galanthamine-containing extracts of the amaryllidaceous plants were found to be the most active while the extract of Corydalis bulbosa was the most active among the extracts of the tested plants from the Fumariaceae and Papaveraceae plants. TLC bioautographic assay, preparative TLC and GC-MS analysis were combined to identify the active compounds in the studied extracts. Galanthamine was isolated from the known AChE inhibitors in the extracts of Amaryllidaceae plants. Corydaline, bulbocapnine and stylopine were found to be active in the extracts of plant species of the families Fumariaceae and Papaveraceae. Available standards of deshydrocorydaline--a precursor of corydaline, corydaline and stylopine--were tested for AChE inhibitory activity. Deshydrocorydaline and corydaline showed potent inhibitory activity comparable with that of the positive control galanthamine.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Productes Naturals, Biologia Vegetal i Edafologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. berkov@ub.edu
authors.forename: Strahil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berkov
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bastida
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikolova
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viladomat
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Codina
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000187:drug effects*; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase