• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.1395-1401
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• 2012

This study investigated the cognition-related effects on antioxidant activities, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) contents, and AChE inhibitory activities in ethanol extracts from Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Korea), Curcuma longa L. (Korea), Curcuma longa L. (Myanmar), and Curcuma aromatica Salisb. (India). These extracts were investigated to determine the relationships among total polyphenols as well as DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, GABA contents, and acetylcholinestrase (AChE) inhibitory activity. For the results, C. longa L. from Myanmar exhibited the highest contents of curcumin (97.1 ${\mu}g/mg$), total polyphenols (98.4 ${\mu}g/mg$), and GABA (1.31 ${\mu}g/mg$), as well as the strongest radical scavenging activities and AChE inhibitory activity. In addition, C. aromatica Salisb from India, which had the highest total polyphenol content (98.4 ${\mu}g/mg$) and strongest radical scavenging activities, exhibited relatively high AChE inhibitory activity similar to that of C. longa L. from Myanmar. On the other hand, Z. officinale Rosc. and C. longa L. from Korea showed low contents of curcumin (12.2 ${\mu}g/mg$) and polyphenols (85.7 ${\mu}g/mg$), as well as low AChE inhibitory activities. However, we could detect 1.11 ${\mu}g/mg$ of GABA in these extracts, which was similar to that of C. longa L. from Myanmar. Therefore, GABA content was not correlated with AChE inhibitory activity. Based on the results, AChE inhibitory activity is highly correlated with polyphenol contents in Zingibearceae family. Overall, among the Zingiberaceae tested, C. longa L. from Myanmar might be a strong candidate as a cognitive-enhancing ingredient.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.3322-3326
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• 2013

A series of hybrid molecules between (${\alpha}$)-lipoic acid (ALA) and benzyl piperazines were synthesized and their in vitro cholinesterase [acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)] inhibitory activities were evaluated. Even though the parent compounds did not show any inhibitory activity against cholinesterase (ChE), all hybrid molecules showed BuChE inhibitory activity. Some hybrid compounds also displayed AChE inhibitory activity. Specifically, ALA-1-(3-methylbenzyl)piperazine (15) was shown to be an effective inhibitor of both BuChE ($IC_{50}=2.3{\pm}0.7{\mu}M$) and AChE ($IC_{50}=30.31{\pm}0.64{\mu}M$). An inhibition kinetic study using compound 15 indicated a mixed inhibition type. Its binding affinity ($K_i$) value to BuChE is $2.91{\pm}0.15{\mu}M$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.108-112
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• 2011

Several isoquinoline alkaloids (1 - 18), which have basic chemical structures as protoberberine and aporphine skeletones, were evaluated for their inhibitory activities on AChE and BuChE. Among them, compounds 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 showed the potent AchE activity with the $IC_{50}$ values ranging from $10.2{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}M$ to $24.5{\pm}1.6\;{\mu}M$, meanwhile, compound 14 - 17 exhibited strong inhibitory activity with $IC_{50}$ values from $2.1{\pm}0.2$ to $5.5{\pm}0.3\;{\mu}M$. Compounds 14 - 17 exhibited selective inhibition for AChE compared with BuChE. The isoquinoline alkaloid possesses aromatic methylenedioxy groups and quaternary nitrogen atoms are crucial for the anti-cholinesterase inhibitory activity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.434-438
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• 2009

For the development of a new antidementia functional food or alternative drug using agricultural products, Job's tears (Coix lachrymajobi L.), which shows high acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (55.1%) was selected and the extraction conditions of AChE inhibitor were optimized. AChE inhibitor of Job's tears was maximally extracted when it was treated with 60% methanol at $40^{\circ}C$ for 6 h. The AChE inhibitor of the methanol extracts was partially purified by systematic solvent extraction, thin layer chromatography, silica gel chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC and the partial purified AChE inhibitor with inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$) of $0.608\;{\mu}g$ was obtained. The partial purified AChE inhibitor was soluble in methanol and hexane, and insoluble in water. Its maximum absorption spectra was 230 nm and also it was stable in the range of $30^{\circ}C$ and $70^{\circ}C$ and pH 4.0-8.0 for 1 h.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.502-507
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• 2006

In a previous study, an extract of Clavicorona pyxidata DGUM 29005 mycelia demonstrated an inhibitory effect against enzyme-associated perceptual disorders. We have attempted to determine whether this mycelial extract is also capable of inhibiting the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ${\beta}$-secretase (BACE) activity. Butanol, ethanol, and water extracts of C. pyxidata DGUM 29005 mycelia were shown to inhibit AChE activity by 99.3%, 93.7%, and 91.7%, respectively. The inhibitory value of the butanol extract was more profound than that of tacrine (95.4%). The ethanol extract also exerted an inhibitory effect against BACE activity; this fraction may harbor the potential for development into a pharmocotherapeutic modality for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells in culture were not determined to be susceptible to the cytotoxic activity evidenced by the mycelial extract. The ethanol extract inhibited endogenous AChE activity in PC12 cellular homogenates, with an $IC_{50}\;of\;67.5{\mu}g/ml$, after incubation with intact cells, and also inhibited BACE activity in a dose-dependent fashion. These results suggest that the C. pyxidata mycelial extract has the potential to enhance cholinergic function and, therefore, may perform a function in the amelioration of the cholinergic deficit observed in cases of AD, as well as other types of age-associated memory impairment.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.219-224
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• 2018

The fruit and stem of Opuntia ficus-indica var. aboten (OFS), a native plant of Jeju Island, are considered a safe food source. Moreover, stem extracts have been previously reported to possess a variety of biological effects (e.g. anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, including the ability to partially ameliorate cognitive impairment), suggesting that this plant may have utility as a functional food. The present study investigated whether fermentation by lactic acid bacteria enhances the biological effects of OFS extracts. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity of fermented or non-fermented OFS extracts was evaluated, and the content of marker components dihydrokaempferol (DHK) and quercetin-3-methyl ether (3-MeQ) was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Fermented (relative to non-fermented) OFS extracts exhibited improved AChE inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}=28.35 mg/mL$), with AChE inhibitory activity resulting from fermentation by L. plantarum ($IC_{50}=12.56mg/mL$) exceeding that resulting from fermentation by L. fermentum ($IC_{50}=17.71mg/mL$). Furthermore, fermented (relative to non-fermented) OFS extracts exhibited a 16.7 % increase in DHK content, and 3-MeQ content of OFS extracts fermented by L. plantarum and L. fermentum increased by 28.6 % and 21.4 %, respectively. Therefore, OFS stem extract AChE inhibitory activity, as well as DHK and 3-MeQ content, was enhanced by fermentation with Lactobacillus spp. This suggests that fermented OFS extracts may contribute to prevention or improvement of cognitive impairment. These data are anticipated to be useful in the development of enhanced-efficacy OFS products.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.274-281
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• 2018

A previous study in humans demonstrated the sustained inhibitory effects of donepezil on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity; however, the effective concentration of donepezil in humans and animals is unclear. This study aimed to characterize the effective concentration of donepezil on AChE inhibition and impaired learning and memory in rodents. A pharmacokinetic study of donepezil showed a mean peak plasma concentration of donepezil after oral treatment (3 and 10 mg/kg) of approximately $1.2{\pm}0.4h$ and $1.4{\pm}0.5h$, respectively; absolute bioavailability was calculated as 3.6%. Further, AChE activity was inhibited by increasing plasma concentrations of donepezil, and a maximum inhibition of $31.5{\pm}5.7%$ was observed after donepezil treatment in hairless rats. Plasma AChE activity was negatively correlated with plasma donepezil concentration. The pharmacological effects of donepezil are dependent upon its concentration and AChE activity; therefore, we assessed the effects of donepezil on learning and memory using a Y-maze in mice. Donepezil treatment (3 mg/kg) significantly prevented the progression of scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. As the concentration of donepezil in the brain increased, the recovery of spontaneous alternations also improved; maximal improvement was observed at $46.5{\pm}3.5ng/g$ in the brain. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the AChE inhibitory activity and pharmacological effects of donepezil can be predicted by the concentration of donepezil. Further, $46.5{\pm}3.5ng/g$ donepezil is an efficacious target concentration in the brain for treating learning and memory impairment in rodents.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.751-756
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• 2012

Antioxidant capacity and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity of the aqueous methanolic extract of Rhus javanica were investigated in vitro. The antioxidant properties was measured by radical scavenging assays using DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals. The AChE inhibitory efficacy of R. javanica was tested by Ellman's assay and the total phenolic content was determined using a spectrophotometric method. All tested samples showed a dose-dependent AChE inhibitory and radical scavenging activities. In particularly, ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble portion from the methanolic extract of R. javanica showed significantly higher inhibitory activity than other organic solvent soluble-portions in an AChE and radical scavenging assay systems. These results suggest that R. javanica may be possess potential benefits which might be useful in development of antioxidant and anti-alzheimer's disease ingredient.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.435-440
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• 2009

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, which enhance cholinergic transmission by reducing the enzymatic degradation of acetylcholine, are the only source of the compound that is currently approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these experiments, the concentration samples of green tea extracts were 100, 500, and 1,000 ${\mu}g$/mL. Among them, the highest concentration (1,000 ${\mu}g$/mL) of fresh green tea extracts showed the most potent inhibitory effect on AChE by reducing more than 40% of enzyme activity, and in a concentration-dependent pattern. In addition, we examined the effect of other storing conditions on AChE inhibition. In order to maintain storage for 3 months, the materials were held at the certain storing conditions of temperature (room temperature, 4 and $-20^{\circ}C$) and for water activity (0.81, 0.69, and 0.23). In these storing conditions, the difference in temperature did not contribute to the AChE inhibitory effect. Our presented data showed that the AChE inhibitory effect was affected by the concentration of green tea extract and by water activity (0.81). These results suggest that green tea may serve as a potential dietary source of AChE inhibitor.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.856-859
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• 2002

In the course of finding Korean natural products for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity, we found that a methanolic extract of the roots of Angelica dahurica showed significant inhibitory effects on AChE. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanolic extract resulted in the isolation of three furanocoumarins, isoimperatorin (1), imperatorin (2) and oxypeucedanin (3), as active principles. These compounds inhibited AChE activity in a dosedependent manner, and the $IC_{50}$ values of compounds 1-3 were 74.6, 63.7 and 89.1 uM, respectively.