Screening of plants of Amaryllidaceae and related families from Panama as sources of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
BACKGROUND
This is the first comprehensive study of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity of species of the family Amaryllidaceae and 13 related families from Panama.


OBJECTIVE
Exploration of the potential sources of AChE inhibitors with radical scavenging activity from Amaryllidaceae and 13 related families from Panama.


METHODS
The studied plants were screened with anti-acetylcholinesterase bioautographic and DPPH free radical scavenging assays.


RESULTS
From the 57 plants studied, eight (14%) showed strong inhibition of AChE, and 29 (51%) plants showed moderate inhibition of AChE.


CONCLUSIONS
Sagittaria lancifolia L. (Alismataceae), Crinum jagus (Thomps.) (Amaryllidaceae), Crinum x amabile Donn (Amaryllidaceae), Crinum zeylanicum (L.) L. (Amaryllidaceae), Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora (Lemoine ex Anonymous) N.E. Br. (Iridaceae), Sisyrinchium tinctorium Kunth (Iridaceae), Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis (F.M. Leight.) F.M. Leight. (Liliaceae), and Xyris jupicai Rich. (Xyridaceae) were the most active plants, inhibiting AChE at 100 microg on the TLC bioautographic method for the detection of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Out of the eight most active plants, two plants, Crinum zeylanicum (L.) L. and Xyris jupicai Rich., showed antioxidant activity.
Calderón
Angela I
AI
Department of Pharmacal Sciences, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA. aic0001@auburn.edu
Cubilla
Milagros
M
Espinosa
Alex
A
Gupta
Mahabir P
MP
D034901:Alismataceae / Q000737:chemistry; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry*; D055808:Drug Discovery; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry; D027621:Iridaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D019668:Liliaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010176:Panama; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts