In traditional medicine, Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC or rock tea (RT) has been mainly used to treat digestive and respiratory pathologies but also as an antimicrobial or an antidepressant herbal remedy. An ethanolic extract of RT has been demonstrated to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which may be explained by its phytochemical profile, rich in polyphenols and pigments. The aim of this study is to investigate the neuroprotective potential of RT. For this purpose, the ethanolic extract of RT is assayed in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as an in vivo model, and through in vitro assays using monoamine oxidase A, tyrosinase and acetylcholinesterase as enzymes. The RT extract reduces juglone-induced oxidative stress in worms and increases the lifespan and prevents paralysis of C. elegans CL4176, a model of Alzheimer's disease; the extract is also able to inhibit enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase A and tyrosinase in vitro. Together these results demonstrate that Jasonia glutinosa is a good candidate with antioxidant and neuroprotective potential for the development of new products with pharmaceutical interests.
Keywords: C. elegans; acetylcholinesterase; herbal medicine; lifespan; medicinal plants; monoamine oxidase A; tyrosinase.