Abstract
Abstract
The IN VITRO acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory potential of the hydroalcoholic extract and of the essential oil from ACORUS CALAMUS (AC) rhizomes and that of its major constituents were evaluated based on the Ellman’s method. GC/MS analysis of the oil revealed that the major constituents were β-asarone (79.54 %) and α-asarone (8.47 %). The IC
50
values were obtained for the hydroalcoholic extract, the essential oil, β-asarone and α-asarone and were 182.31 ± 16.78 μg/mL, 10.67 ± 0.81 μg/mL, 3.33 ± 0.02 μM and 46.38 ± 2.69 μM, respectively. Physostigmine was used as standard inhibitor with an IC
50
value of 0.28 ± 0.015μM. The experimental observations revealed that the AC essential oil and its constituents have significant AChE inhibitory potential. β-Asarone, the major phytoconstituent present in the essential oil, showed the maximum inhibitory potential.