Abstract
The chloroform:medianol (1:1) extracts of a number of the plant species belonging to eight families, namely
Corydalis solida (L.) Swartz subsp.
solida and
Glaucium corniculatum (L.) J. H. Rudolph (Papaveraceae),
Rhododendron ponticum L. subsp.
ponticum and
Rhododendron luteum Sweet. (Ericaceae),
Buxus sempervirens L. (Buxaceae),
Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae),
Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Caeselpiniaceae),
Tribulus terrestris L. and
Zygophyllum fabago L. (Zygophyllaceae),
Lycopodium clavatum L. (Lycopodiaceae),
Fumaria vaillantii Lois.,
Fumaria capreolata L.,
Fumaria kralikii Jordan,
Fumaria asepala Boiss.,
Fumaria densiflora DC.,
Fumaria flabellata L.,
Fumaria petteri Reichb. subsp.
thuretii (Boiss.) Pugsley,
Fumaria macrocarpa Boiss. ex Hausskn.,
Fumaria cilicica Hauskkn.,
Fumaria parviflora Lam. and
Fumaria judaica Boiss. (Fumariaceae) were screened for their anticholinesterase activity on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes by in vitro Ellman method at 10
μg/ml and 1
mg/ml concentrations. The extracts did not show any noticeable inhibitory activity against both of the enzymes at 10
μg/ml. The extracts of
Rhododendron ponticum subsp.
ponticum,
Rhododendron luteum,
Corydalis solida subsp.
solida,
Glaucium corniculatum, and
Buxus sempervirens showed remarkable inhibitory activity above 50% inhibition rate on AChE at 1
mg/ml. Among them,
Rhododendron ponticum subsp.
ponticum,
Corydalis solida subsp.
solida and
Buxus sempervirens were the most active extracts against BChE having 95.46±1.03%, 93.08±0.97%, and 93.45±0.88% inhibition rates, respectively. Among the extracts screened, all of the
Fumaria extracts displayed highly potent inhibition against both of the enzymes at 1
mg/ml concentration compared to the standard.