An in vitro perspective to cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activity of five Gentiana species and Gentianella caucasea.

摘要

The dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol extracts from the leaves, roots and flowers of the 5 species of Gentiana (Gentiana asclepiadea, G. cruciata, G. olivieri, G. septemfida and G. verna) and Gentianella caucasea were investigated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities and antioxidative activity (using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, metal-chelation capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assays). Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extracts were determined spectroscopically. The presence of some characteristic compounds found in Gentiana spp. (gentiopicroside, swertiamarin, isoorientin, isovitexin and vitexin) was analysed in the extracts by TLC. The flower DCM extract of G. verna exerted the highest inhibition against AChE (53.65 +or- 1.03%), whereas the root EtOAc extract of G. cruciata was the most effective against BChE (50.72 +or- 0.75%) at 100 mug/ml. The extracts of G. verna were also found to be more active in the antioxidant tests.