Phytochemical screening and in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of seven plant extracts

Abstract

Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of plants as enhancers of memory activity. This study sought to investigate the inhibitory effect of seven plants on acetylcholinesterase and its phytochemical contents. The in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect by the seven plants and their phytochemical contents each, were examined in this study, using standard methods. Data was analyzed by ANOVA test and the value of p ≤0.05 was considered significant. The plant extracts inhibition of acetylcholinesterase showed the following decreasing trend; Carica papaya-67.9%, Solanum incanum leaf – 66.9%, Musa sapientum -54.7%, Solanum incanum fruit -51.93%, Persia americana 46.60%, and Kola acuminata – 44.2% with the least inhibitory activity. All the seven plants showed remarkably the presence of all the phytochemicals especially flavonoids and the absence of steroids. The result of this study indicated that the seven chosen plants all showed acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, which may be the reason for its folkloric usage in Nigeria.

Keywords: Medicinal plants; Acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholine; Inhibition; Phytochemicals