Inhibitory potential of the leaves and berries of Myrtus communis L. (myrtle) against enzymes linked to neurodegenerative diseases and their antioxidant actions.

摘要

The inhibitory activities of dichloromethane (DCM), acetone, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts (200 mug/ml) of the leaves and berries of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) were determined against enzymes linked to neurodegenerative diseases (acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and tyrosinase (TYRO)). Antioxidative activity was tested by examining radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DMPD) radicals, and metal chelation capacity, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and phosphomolybdenum-reducing antioxidant power (PRAP) assays. Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extracts were determined by spectroscopy. The extracts showed moderate AChE and TYRO inhibition (17.49 +or- 3.99% to 43.15 +or- 1.55% and 4.48 +or- 1.50% to 40.53 +or- 0.47%, respectively). The leaf extracts were ineffective against BChE, while the berry extracts displayed an inhibition of 21.83 +or- 3.82% and 36.80 +or- 2.00%. The polar extracts exerted noteable scavenging activity against DPPH and DMPD and also noteable activty in the FRAP assay, where the DCM berry extract displayed the best metal chelation capacity (79.29 +or- 1.14%). This is believed to be the first study to demonstrate in vitro neuroprotective effects of myrtle.