title: Myrtenal inhibits acetylcholinesterase, a known Alzheimer target.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a common treatment for early stages of the most general form of dementia, Alzheimer's disease. In this study selected components of essential oils, which carry a variety of important functional groups, were tested for their in-vitro anti-acetylcholinesterase activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-vitro anti-acetylcholinesterase activity was measured by an adapted version of Ellman's colorimetric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1,8-cineole, carvacrol, myrtenal and verbenone apparently inhibited AChE; the highest inhibitory activity was observed for myrtenal (IC50 = 0.17 mm). This is the first study showing the AChE inhibitory activity of myrtenal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our investigations provided evidence for the efficacy of monoterpenes as inhibitors of AChE.
authors: Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. dorothea.kaufmann@web.de
authors: Dorothea
authors: D
authors: Kaufmann
authors: Anudeep Kaur
authors: AK
authors: Dogra
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Wink
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003124:Colorimetry; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D000081007:Cymenes; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077591:Eucalyptol; D006801:Humans; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D000081007:Cymenes; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes; C061545:myrtenal; C052875:verbenone; C073316:carvacrol; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D000077591:Eucalyptol