Medicinal Plants from Northeastern Brazil against Alzheimer's Disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been linked with oxidative stress, acetylcholine deficiency in the brain, and inflammatory processes. In the northeast region of Brazil, various plants are used to treat several diseases associated with these processes; then an antioxidant test was performed with those plants in a previous work and twelve species with higher antioxidant activity were selected for AChE inhibition evaluation. The phenolic compounds content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu test and flavonoid content with AlCl3reagent using UV-visible spectrophotometry. The antioxidant activity was assessed analyzing the inhibitory activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) and by theβ-carotene/linoleic acid system and acetylcholinesterase inhibition using qualitative and quantitative tests. The combination of better acetylcholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities pointed out six species, in descending order, as the best potential sources of therapeutic agents against AD:Hancornia speciosa > Myracrodruon urundeuva > Copaifera langsdorffii > Stryphnodendron coriaceum > Psidium guajava > Mangifera indica. Besides, the phenolic compounds in the species probably contribute to these activities. However, further pharmacological studies to assess the specific applications of these plants against AD are required to confirm these results.
Centro de Ciências Sociais Saúde e Tecnologia, Curso de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Rua Urbano Santos, s/n, Centro, 65900-410 Imperatriz, MA, Brazil.
Alexandre Batista
0000-0002-1913-3503
AB
Penido
Departamento de Química, Laboratório de Química e Produtos Naturais, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Campus do Itaperi, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba 1.700, 60.714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Selene Maia
0000-0002-2766-3790
SM
De Morais
Centro de Ciências Sociais Saúde e Tecnologia, Curso de Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Rua Urbano Santos, s/n, Centro, 65900-410 Imperatriz, MA, Brazil.
Alan Bezerra
AB
Ribeiro
Núcleo de Pesquisa em Sanidade Animal, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Campus do Itaperi, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba 1.700, 60.714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Daniela Ribeiro
DR
Alves
Laboratório de Química e Produtos Naturais, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Campus do Itaperi, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba 1.700, 60.714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Ana Livya Moreira
AL
Rodrigues
Centro de Ciências Sociais Saúde e Tecnologia, Curso de Licenciatura em Ciências Naturais/Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Rua Urbano Santos, s/n, Centro, 65900-410 Imperatriz, MA, Brazil.
Leonardo Hunaldo
LH
Dos Santos
Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Campus do Itaperi, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba 1.700, 60.714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Jane Eire Silva Alencar
JE
de Menezes