IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE INHIBITION BY STANDARDIZED EXTRACTS OF SELECTED PLANTS
The use of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitors is an important strategy for the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The search for AchE inhibitors from plants is an important area for drug discovery for AD. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potential of petroleum ether and hydro-methanol extracts of Brassica juncea, Brassica rapa, Chenopodium album and Ocimum basilicum by Ellman’s colorimetric method. The bioactive extracts were standardized with respect to their total phenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). The hydromethanol extract of C. album showed the most significant acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. The activity at 5 mg/ml was significantly more than the standard drug (Tacrine, 10 µg/ml). The TPC and TFC were highest for hydro-methanol extract of C. album which indicated that the observed activity may be attributed to the presence of these compounds. The results of present study indicate that extract of C. album can be developed as effective drug for management of AD