Natural Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors from Glycosmis parviflora stems

Discovering natural medicines for Alzheimer's disease (AD) with minimal side effects is an ongoing challenge. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of extracts and fractions from Glycosmis parviflora stems collected in Vietnam on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of the cholinergic neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Our results revealed that the ethyl acetate extract exhibited the strongest AChE inhibitory activity. Through a bioassay-guided isolation approach, we identified eleven compounds, including a novel alkaloid, eight known alkaloids, one flavonoid and one saponin steroid. These compounds were assessed for their inhibitory activity against AChE, and among the tested compounds, O-methylglycosolone (6), 3-dimethoxy-10-methyl-9-acridone (1), skimmianine (4), and arborine (2) showed inhibitory effects. Notably, O-methylglycosolone was the most potent, with an IC₅₀ value of 39.81±1.76 μM.

Overall, our findings suggest that G. parviflora has the potential to protect neurotransmitters that have not been previously evaluated for AD. These results offer a promising direction for further investigation of G. parviflora and its compounds as potential natural medicines for AD.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023