Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of Bouvardia ternifolia: potential implications in Alzheimer's disease

Arch Pharm Res. 2015 Jul;38(7):1369-79. doi: 10.1007/s12272-015-0587-6. Epub 2015 Mar 5.

Abstract

Bouvardia ternifolia has been used medicinally to treat inflammation. In the present study, we investigate the anti-Alzheimer's potential effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of B. ternifolia through evaluation of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, quantification of the percentage inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, protection effect against β-amyloid fibrillar-induce neurotoxicity, and the identification of the main constituents. Our results show that B. ternifolia extract and ethyl acetate fraction induced anti-inflammatory effects by reducing inflammation by >70 %, while antioxidant test revealed significant IC50 values for flavonoid content fraction (30.67 ± 2.09 μg/ml) and ethyl acetate fraction (42.66 ± 0.93 μg/ml). The maximum inhibition of acetylcholinesterase was exhibited by scopoletin content fraction (38.43 ± 3.94 %), while ethyl acetate fraction exerted neuroprotective effect against β-amyloid peptide (83.97 ± 5.03 %). Phytochemical analysis, showed the presence of 3-O-quercetin glucopyranoside (415 mg/g), rutin (229.9 mg/g), ursolic and oleanolic acid (54 and 20.8 mg/g respectively), 3-O-quercetin rhamnopyranoside (12.8 mg/g), chlorogenic acid (9.5 mg/g), and scopoletin (1.38 mg/g). Our findings support the use of B. ternifolia since the extract induced significant neuroprotection against β-amyloid peptide, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase effects that could be attributed to its contents of polyphenols, coumarins, and triterpenes, and encourage further studies for development of this extract as therapeutic agent in treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / isolation & purification
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Coumarins / isolation & purification
  • Coumarins / pharmacology
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Neuroprotective Agents / isolation & purification
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Peptide Fragments / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phenols / isolation & purification
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Plant Components, Aerial / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rubiaceae / chemistry*
  • Triterpenes / isolation & purification
  • Triterpenes / pharmacology

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Coumarins
  • Flavonoids
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Triterpenes
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)