Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, ANTIOXIDANT AND ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE INHIBITION ACTIVITY OF HIMALAYAN BERRY FRUIT: MYRICA ESCULENTA BUCH HAM EX D. DON

Parul Sood*, Hurmat Khan and Richa Shri

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Abstract

Intake of fruits rich in antioxidants is well documented to delay the onset as well as progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The objective of this study to evaluate the traditionally important Himalayan berry fruit Myrica esculenta Buch Ham ex D. Don extracts for antioxidant and acetyl-cholinesterase inhibition (AChEI) activity as well as screened for phytochemical screening analysis. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of the fruit extracts were also determined to correlate with antioxidant and AChEI activity. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various active phytoconstituents including phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Methanol fruit extract showed the most significant acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50 value 6.06±2.25 mg/ml) with highest TFC; while antioxidant activity was found to maximum in aqueous extract followed by methanol and chloroform extract. The marked inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and potent antioxidant activity of M. esculenta fruit due to presence of antioxidant phenolic compounds including flavonoids revealed that it may be used as a potential natural source of bioactive compounds and could be beneficial to the human health, especially in the effective treatment for AD as well as source of natural antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical industry. This is the first report on such activities of M. esculenta fruit extracts.

Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antioxidant, Berry fruit, Myrica esculenta.