In vitro biological activities and fatty acid profiles of Pistacia terebinthus fruits and Pistacia khinjuk seeds.

This study reports in vitro anticholinesterase, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of the n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethanol and ethanol-water extracts prepared from Pistacia terebinthus L. fruits and Pistacia khinjuk Stocks seeds as well as their total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and fatty acid compositions. Ethanol and ethanol-water extracts of both species exhibited higher anticholinesterase activity than galanthamine. Among ABTS, DPPH and CUPRAC assays, the highest antioxidant capacity of the extracts was found in the last one. P. terebinthus ethanol extract being rich in flavonoid content showed the best cupric reducing effect. All extracts possessed no antimicrobial activity. The main fatty acid in P. terebinthus fruits (52.52%) and P. khinjuk seeds (59.44%) was found to be oleic acid. Our results indicate that P. terebinthus fruits and P. khinjuk seeds could be a good source of anticholinesterase compounds, and could be phytochemically investigated.

Antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of eleven edible plants.

CONTEXT: Consumers have become more interested in beneficial effects of vegetables, fruits, and tea to protect their health. OBJECTIVE: The antioxidant potential and anticholinesterase activity of eleven edible plants were investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The dichloromethane, ethanol and water extracts prepared from celery [Apium graveolens L. (Umbelliferae)], Jerusalem artichoke [Helianthus tuberosus L. (Compositae)], spinach [Spinacia oleracea L. (Chenopodiaceae)], chard [Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla (Chenopodiaceae)], purslane [Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae)], ispit, or borage [Trachystemon orientale (L.) G. Don (Boraginaceae)], garden rocket [Eruca sativa Mill. (Brassicaceae)], red cabbage [Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata f. rubra DC. (Cruciferae)], lime flower [Tilia tomentosa Moench (Tiliaceae)], cinnamon [Cinnamomum cassia Presl. (Lauraceae)], and rosehip [Rosa canina L. (Rosaceae)], were tested to determine their antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities by using CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) and Ellman methods, respectively, for the first time. RESULTS: As a result, the dichloromethane, ethanol and water extracts of cinnamon showed the best antioxidant effect among the extracts of the tested plants. The ethanol extract of cinnamon exhibited 63.02% inhibition against acetylcholinesterase and 85.11% inhibition against butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) at 200 µg/mL concentration while the dichloromethane extract of garden rocket possessed the highest inhibition (91.27%) against BChE among all the tested extracts. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the ethanol extract of cinnamon may be a new potential resource of natural antioxidant and anticholinesterase compounds.

Antioxidant and anticholinesterase constituents from the petroleum ether and chloroform extracts of Iris suaveolens.

The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical, antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of Iris suaveolens. After determining total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts prepared from the rhizomes, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts was established using ß-carotene-linoleic acid and CUPRAC methods. The chloroform extract which was rich in phenolic content exhibited the highest inhibition of lipid peroxidation in the ß-carotene-linoleic acid system, and the best cupric reducing antioxidant capacity among the tested extracts. The petroleum ether extract indicated moderate anticholinesterase activity while the chloroform extract revealed significant butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (75.03 ± 1.29%). Spectroscopic methods were used for the structural elucidation of the compounds (1-13) isolated from the petroleum ether and chloroform extracts. Coniferaldehyde (6), having the highest antioxidant activity in the ß-carotene-linoleic acid assay at 25 and 50 µg/mL, demonstrated also the best effect in the CUPRAC method among the tested compounds (1-12). 3-Hydroxyirisquinone (10) showed the best anticholinesterase activity among the tested compounds (1-4, 6-12), and coniferaldehyde exhibited almost the same butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (82.60 ± 2.33%) as galantamine (86.26 ± 0.66%).