Abstract
Ten plant extracts were prepared and tested in in vitro assays against COX-2, COX-1 and acetylcholinesterase with evaluation of their antioxidant properties. The tested extracts exhibited varied anti COX-2 effect and they were superior to celecoxibe (inhibition percentage was 42.67% at 50 mu g/mL), reference drug. Lavandula coronopifolia and Scrophularia Libanotica extracts were the efficient inhibitors (100% and 91% at 50 mu g/mL respectively). Launaeaspinosa and Pulicaria undulata were the powerful AChE inhibitor (IC50 values were 16.69 and 29.06 mu g/mL, respectively) followed with L. coronopifolia and S.libanotica extracts (IC50 values were 61.89 and 49.83 mu g/mL, respectively) and they were efficient in scavenging superoxide radicals and metal ions, nitric oxide formation inhibition, as well as, lipid peroxide production suppression. L. coronopifolia and S. Libanotica extracts can be introduced as natural cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors without affecting cyclooxygenase-1 whereas L. spinosa and P. undulata extracts were potent suppressor for AChE with robust antioxidant properties which suggest the possibility of using the four extracts, L. coronopifolia, S. libanotica, L. spinosa and P. undulata as natural agent in treating neurodegenerative disorder.