Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Hieronymiella species from Argentina

ORTIZ, JAVIER E.; PIGNI, NATALIA B.; ROITMAN, GERMAN G.; SLANIS, ALBERTO C.; BASTIDA, JAUME; FERESIN, GABRIELA E.; TAPIA, ALEJANDRO A.

Potrero de los Funes, San Luis

Encuentro; XXX Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2012

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Amaryllidaceae family is well known for their pharmacologically active alkaloids. An important approach to treat Alzheimer?s disease is directed to the inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE). In an attempt to find new sources of AChE inhibitors, three Hieronymiella spp. (Amaryllidaceae) collected in Tucumán, Salta y Jujuy province, have been tested for their AChE inhibitory activity by microplate assay according Ellman et al . In addition the alkaloids composition was identified by GC-MS comparing their MS data and RI (Kovats retention index) .The alkaloids extract of Hieronymiella aurea, H. clidanthoides and H marginata showed a strong inhibition with IC50 values between 4.5- 11 µg/ml, as reference compound galanthamine was used. The GC-MS alkaloids profile was dominated by lycorine, haemanthamine/crinamine, tazettine, hamayne/11-OH-vitattine, as well as the recognized AChE inhibitors galanthamine, chlidanthine and sanguinine, which has a hydroxyl group at C9 instead of a methoxyl group, is around 10 times more active than galanthamine. These plants species can be considered a new renewable source of AChE inhibitors (galanthamine and other alkaloids of biological interest)