Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a common neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by low levels in the \nbrain of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine (ACh). Clinical treatment of this disease is palliative and \nrelies mostly on enhancing cholinergic function by stimulation of cholinergic receptors or prolonging \nthe availability of ACh released into the neuronal synaptic cleft by use of agents which restore or \nimprove the levels of acetylcholine. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase \n(BChE), enzymes which breakdown acetylcholine, are considered as a promising strategy for the \ntreatment of AD. A potential source of AChE and BChE inhibitors is provided by the abundance of \nplants in nature, and natural products continue to provide useful drugs and templates for the \ndevelopment of other compounds. The present work constitutes a review of the literature on 123 \nspecies of medicinal plants that have been tested for AChE inhibitory activity and 42 plant species \nwhich have been tested for BChE inhibitory activity. The plant species listed are potential \ncholinesterase inhibitors and may aid researchers in their study of natural products which may be \nuseful in the treatment of AD. \nKey words: Alzheimer’s disease,
Institution: University of Pretoria
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2096927450