Tyrosinase-inhibitory constituents from the twigs of Cinnamomum cassia

Multiplicative Effects of Essential Oils and Other Active Components on Skin Tissue and Skin Cancers

Naturally derived essential oils and their active components are known to possess various properties, ranging from anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer activities. Numerous types of essential oils and active components have been discovered, and their permissive roles have been addressed in various fields. In this comprehensive review, we focused on the roles of essential oils and active components in skin diseases and cancers as discovered over the past three decades. In particular, we opted to highlight the effectiveness of essential oils and their active components in developing strategies against various skin diseases and skin cancers and to describe the effects of the identified essential-oil-derived major components from physiological and pathological perspectives. Overall, this review provides a basis for the development of novel therapies for skin diseases and cancers, especially melanoma.

Comparative Metabolite Fingerprinting of Four Different Cinnamon Species Analyzed via UPLC-MS and GC-MS and Chemometric Tools

The present study aimed to assess metabolites heterogeneity among four major Cinnamomum species, including true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and less explored species (C. cassia, C. iners, and C. tamala). UPLC-MS led to the annotation of 74 secondary metabolites belonging to different classes, including phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, and lignans. A new proanthocyanidin was identified for the first time in C. tamala, along with several glycosylated flavonoid and dicarboxylic fatty acids reported for the first time in cinnamon. Multivariate data analyses revealed, for cinnamates, an abundance in C. verum versus procyandins, dihydro-coumaroylglycosides, and coumarin in C. cassia. A total of 51 primary metabolites were detected using GC-MS analysis encompassing different classes, viz. sugars, fatty acids, and sugar alcohols, with true cinnamon from Malaysia suggested as a good sugar source for diabetic patients. Glycerol in C. tamala, erythritol in C. iners, and glucose and fructose in C. verum from Malaysia were major metabolites contributing to the discrimination among species.

Aromatic and Aliphatic Apiuronides from the Bark of Cinnamomum cassia

Cinnamomum cassia Presl (Cinnamon) has been widely cultivated in the tropical or subtropical areas, such as Yunnan, Fujian, Guandong, and Hainan in China, as well as India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. Four new glycosides bearing apiuronic acid (1, 4, 6, and 7) and their sodium or potassium salts (2, 3, and 5), together with 31 known compounds, were isolated from a hot water extract of the bark of C. cassia via repeated chromatography. The structures of the new compounds (1-7) were determined by NMR, IR, MS, and ICP-AES data and by acid hydrolysis and sugar analysis. This is the first report of the presence of apiuronic acid glycosides. Some of the isolates were evaluated for their analgesic effects on a neuropathic pain animal model induced by paclitaxel. Cinnzeylanol (8), cinnacaside (9), kelampayoside A (10), and syringaresinol (11) showed analgesic effects against paclitaxel-induced cold allodynia.

Metabolomic profiling and comparison of major cinnamon species using UHPLC-HRMS

The metabolomic profiles of four major species of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, C. burmannii, C. loureiroi, and C. cassia) were investigated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Thirty-six metabolites were tentatively characterized, belonging to various compound groups such as phenolic glycosides, flavan-3-ols, phenolic acids, terpenes, alkaloids, and aldehydes. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) on the HRMS data matrix resulted in a clear separation of the four cinnamon species. Coumarin, cinnamaldehyde, methoxycinnamaldehyde, cinnamoyl-methoxyphenyl acetate, proanthocyanidins, and other components varied among the four species. Such variations were used to develop a step-by-step strategy for differentiating the four cinnamon species based on their levels of pre-selected components. This study suggests a significant variation in the phytochemical compositions of different cinnamon species, which have a direct influence on cinnamon's health benefit potentials. Graphical Abstract.

Lignans and Neolignans with Antioxidant and Human Cancer Cell Proliferation Inhibitory Activities from Cinnamomum bejolghota Confirm Its Functional Food Property

In the aim to evaluate the functional food property of Cinnamomum bejolghota, seven new lignans and neolignans, bejolghotins A-G (1-4 and 9-11), along with 14 known ones (5-8 and 12-21), were isolated and their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analyses. All of the isolates were tested for antioxidant and human cancer cell proliferation inhibitory activities. Twenty compounds showed comparable antioxidant activity to the positive controls, and three significantly inhibited the growth of three cancer cell lines HCT-116, A549, and MDA-MB-231 with IC₅₀ values of 0.78-2.93 μM, which confirmed its health benefits.

Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of the genus Cinnamomum (Lauraceae): A review

Species of Cinnamomum exhibit excellent economic and medicinal value, and have found use in traditional medicine, are consumed as a spice, as well as being cultivated as landscape plants. Investigations into the pharmacological activities of the genus Cinnamomum revealed that it manifested a wide range of pharmacological properties including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antitumor, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity, immunoregulation, insecticidal and acaricidal, cardiovascular protective, cytoprotective, as well as neuroprotective properties both in vivo and in vitro. In the past five years, approximately 306 chemical constituents have been separated and identified from the genus Cinnamomum, covering 111 terpenes, 44 phenylpropanoids, 51 lignans, 17 flavonoids, 53 aromatic compounds, 17 aliphatic compounds, four coumarins, two steroids. This article highlights the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of the few studied taxa of Cinnamomum through searching for the pieces of literature both at home and abroad, which would provide a reference for the pharmaceutical research and clinical application of this genus.

The traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Cinnamomi ramulus: a review

OBJECTIVES

Cinnamomi ramulus (called Guizhi in Chinese) is a traditional medicine used to treat gastrointestinal dysfunction, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, spleen deficiency, Alzheimer's disease and obesity. This review aimed to provide a systematic summary on the geographical distribution, botany, traditional application, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology and other aspects of Cinnamomi ramulus.

KEY FINDING

So far, more than 121 chemical compounds have been isolated from Cinnamomi ramulus, including volatile oil, organic acids, triterpenoid saponins, coumarins, tannins, flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, steroids and polysaccharides. This paper reviews the pharmacological effects of Cinnamomi ramulus on antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumour, antipyretic and analgesic, antidiabetic and antiplatelet aggregation effects. Furthermore, the present review also indicates that Cinnamomi ramulus has the potential to develop into drugs for treating various diseases with high efficacy and low toxicity.

SUMMARY

The convictive evidence from modern pharmacology research supports the traditional application of Cinnamomi ramulus. However, further studies on the structure-activity relationship of some of the isolated compounds may improve their biological potency. More toxicological studies will also contribute to the progress of clinical trial studies.

A Review of Antiplatelet Activity of Traditional Medicinal Herbs on Integrative Medicine Studies

Thrombotic events mainly occurred by platelet activation and aggregation. The vascular occlusion causes serious disease states such as unstable angina, ischemic stroke, and heart attack. Due to the pervading of thrombotic diseases, new antiplatelet drugs are necessary for preventing and treating arterial thrombosis without adverse side effects. Traditional medicinal herbs have been used for the treatment of human ailments for a long time. The clinically useful and safe products from traditional medicinal herbs were identified and developed in numerous pharmacological approaches. A complementary system of traditional medicinal herbs is a good candidate for pharmacotherapy. However, it still has a limitation in its function and efficacy. Thus, it is necessary to study the mode of action of traditional medicinal herbs as alternative therapeutic agents. In this review, we focused on our current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of traditional medicinal herbs in antiplatelet activity and antithrombotic effect of traditional medicinal herbs on platelet function.

Phenolic glycosides from Lavandual angustifolia

Four new phenolic glycosides (1-4), together with 12 known ones (5-16), were isolated from the essential oil extraction waste of Lavandula angustifolia. Their structures were unequivocally determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis (1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, UV, and optical rotation), chemical method, and comparison with data reported in the literature. The antioxidant activities of all compounds and new compounds' influence on melanin content in B16 melanoma cells were examined, which indicated that compounds 1, 8, 13 had a certain degree of DPPH free radical scavenging activities, while only compound 2 could increase the melanin content with a dose-dependent manner.

A new sulfonylated flavonoid and other bioactive compounds isolated from the aerial parts of Cotula anthemoides L

A new sulfonyl flavonol glucoside, 5,7,4',5'-tetrahydoxyflavonol 2'-[propanoic acid-(2″'-acetoxy-1″'-sulfonyl)]-5'-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1) was isolated from the aerial parts of Cotula anthemoides L. in addition to 15 known compounds (2-16). The structure elucidation of these compounds was based on analyses of spectroscopic data including 1D-, 2D-NMR and HR-ESI-MS techniques and by comparing their NMR data with those reported in the literature. These compounds were evaluated for their DPPH radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Compound 6 showed a high DPPH radical scavenging with EC₅₀ value of 9.1 ± 0.4 μM. Compound 11, 9 and 1 exhibited a mild tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 85 ± 0.8, 95 ± 1.5 and 100 ± 0.5 μM, respectively.

One-pot synthesis of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-((E)-1-hydroxy-4-phenylbut-3-enyl)anthracene-9,10-diones as novel shikonin analogs and evaluation of their antiproliferative activities

A series of shikonin analogs have been synthesized in a one-pot reaction of quinizarin with β,γ-unsaturated aldehydes in MeOH under mild conditions and investigated for their cytotoxicity against four cancer cell lines and one normal cell line. The synthesized compounds were found to be cytotoxic against HeLa cells with no apparent toxicity against normal cell line. Further modification led to the discovery of a novel tetracyclic anthraquinone (4b/4b') with potent cytotoxic activities against cervical, breast and pancreatic cancer cell lines with no significant effect on the growth of the control mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10. The good cytotoxicity and selectivity of compound 4b/4b' suggest that it could be a promising lead for further optimization.

Water extract of Cinnamomum cassia suppresses angiogenesis through inhibition of VEGF receptor 2 phosphorylation

Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation, has been a major target for cancer therapy. Antiangiogenic herbal medicines are useful in the treatment of cancer. In this study, we found that a water extract of Cinnamomum cassia (CCWE) was a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. In cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells, CCWE suppressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation, migration, invasion, tube formation, and intracellular signaling events such as phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and VEGFR2, and activation of matrix metalloproteinase. Furthermore, CCWE inhibited VEGF-induced vessel sprouting of rat aorta ex vivo. These findings might be of particular interest for drug development because VEGF signaling is a potential target for treatment of angiogenesis-associated diseases.

Acylated flavonol glycosides from the flower of Elaeagnus angustifolia L

Seven acylated flavonol glycosides named elaeagnosides A-G, in addition to seven known flavonoids were isolated from the flowers of Elaeagnus angustifolia. Their structures were elucidated by different spectroscopic methods including 1D, 2D NMR experiments and HR-ESI-MS analysis. In order to identify natural antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitor agents, the abilities of these flavonoids to scavenge the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and to inhibit tyrosinase activity were evaluated. Results revealed that two of these compounds had significant anti-oxidant effect and one compound showed weak tyrosinase-inhibitory activity compared with kojic acid, quercetin, or ascorbic acid, which were used as positive control.

Evaluation of crocin and curcumin affinity on mushroom tyrosinase using surface plasmon resonance

Tyrosinase inhibitors have potential applications in the cosmetics and food industries for preventing browning reactions and also as therapeutic drugs for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. In this article, crocin and curcumin were evaluated as mushroom tyrosinase inhibitors. Results showed that, both compounds strongly inhibited the diphenolase activity than monophenolase. The IC50 values for diphenolase activity were estimated to be 0.11 mM and 0.18 mM for crocin and curcumin respectively. The binding kinetics of crocin and curcumin was studied with mushroom tyrosinase using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Tyrosinase was immobilized on the gold surface of a Biacore sensor chip through amine coupling. Binding of inhibitors was analyzed by SPR without the need to further modify the surface or the use of other reagents. The binding constant KD (M) for mushroom tyrosinase obtained was 1.21×10(-4) M for crocin and 1.64×10(-4) M for curcumin, while showing a higher affinity for L-DOPA 1.95×10(-8) M, a substrate for tyrosinase (positive control). The study reveals the SPR sensor's ability to detect binding of the inhibitors.

Chemical composition and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of Cinnamomum cassia essential oil

BACKGROUND

Essential oils extracted from aromatic plants exhibit important biological activities and have become increasingly important for scientific research. The essential oil extracted from Cinnamomum cassia Presl (CC-EO) has various functional properties, however, little information is available regarding the tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical composition and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the CC-EO.

RESULTS

cis-2-methoxycinnamic acid (43.06%) and cinnamaldehyde (42.37%) were found to be the two major components of the CC-EO identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The inhibitory activities of CC-EO and its major constituents were further evaluated against mushroom tyrosinase. The results showed that CC-EO and cinnamaldehyde exhibited anti-tyrosinase activities with IC₅₀ values of 6.16 ± 0.04 mg/mL and 4.04 ± 0.08 mg/mL, respectively. However, cis-2-methoxycinnamic acid did not show any anti-tyrosinase activity. The inhibition kinetics were analyzed by Lineweaver-Burk plots and second replots, which revealed that CC-EO and cinnamaldehyde were mixed-type inhibitors. The inhibition constants (Ki) for CC-EO and cinnamaldehyde were calculated to be 4.71 ± 0.09 mg/mL and 2.38 ± 0.09 mg/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate that CC-EO and its major component, cinnamaldehyde, possess potent anti-tyrosinase activities and may be a good source for skin-whitening agents.

Cinnamomum cassia essential oil inhibits α-MSH-induced melanin production and oxidative stress in murine B16 melanoma cells

Essential oils extracted from aromatic plants exhibit important biological activities and have become increasingly important for the development of aromatherapy for complementary and alternative medicine. The essential oil extracted from Cinnamomum cassia Presl (CC-EO) has various functional properties; however, little information is available regarding its anti-tyrosinase and anti-melanogenic activities. In this study, 16 compounds in the CC-EO have been identified; the major components of this oil are cis-2-methoxycinnamic acid (43.06%) and cinnamaldehyde (42.37%). CC-EO and cinnamaldehyde exhibited anti-tyrosinase activities; however, cis-2-methoxycinnamic acid did not demonstrate tyrosinase inhibitory activity. In murine B16 melanoma cells stimulated with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), CC-EO and cinnamaldehyde not only reduced the melanin content and tyrosinase activity of the cells but also down-regulated tyrosinase expression without exhibiting cytotoxicity. Moreover, CC-EO and cinnamaldehyde decreased thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) levels and restored glutathione (GSH) and catalase activity in the α-MSH-stimulated B16 cells. These results demonstrate that CC-EO and its major component, cinnamaldehyde, possess potent anti-tyrosinase and anti-melanogenic activities that are coupled with antioxidant properties. Therefore, CC-EO may be a good source of skin-whitening agents and may have potential as an antioxidant in the future development of complementary and alternative medicine-based aromatherapy.

Identification of compounds from the water soluble extract of Cinnamomum cassia barks and their inhibitory effects against high-glucose-induced mesangial cells

The difficulty of diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatment makes prevention the best choice. Cinnamomum cassia barks, known as Chinese cinnamon or Chinese cassia, is one of the most popular natural spices and flavoring agents in many parts of the World. Since previous reports indicated that Chinese cinnamon extract could be used for the treatment of diabetes, we proposed that this spice may be beneficial for the prevention of DN. However, the responsible compounds need to be further identified. In this study, we isolated three new phenolic glycosides, cinnacassosides A–C (1-3), together with fifteen known compounds from the water soluble extract of Chinese cinnamon. The structures of the new compounds were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic evidence. Eleven compounds (6-9, 11, 13-18) were isolated from this spice for the first time, despite extensive research on this species in the past, which added new facets for the chemical profiling of this spice. These isolates were purposely evaluated for their inhibitory effects on IL-6 and extracellular matrix production in mesangial cells which are definitely implicated in DN. The results showed that compounds 4-8 could inhibit over secretion of IL-6, collagen IV and fibronectin against high-glucose-induced mesangial cells at 10 µM, suggesting that Chinese cinnamon could be used as a functional food against DN.

Three new phenolics and other constituents from the seeds of Lithocarpus pachylepis

Twelve phenolics, including the three new compounds balanophonin C (1), balanophonin D (2), balanophonin E (3), were isolated from the seeds of Lithocarpus pachylepis. Their structures were elucidated by various spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR). Compounds 1-9 were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 and showed moderate inhibitory activities, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 10.9 to 34.7 μM.

The Effect of D-(-)-arabinose on Tyrosinase: An Integrated Study Using Computational Simulation and Inhibition Kinetics

Tyrosinase is a ubiquitous enzyme with diverse physiologic roles related to pigment production. Tyrosinase inhibition has been well studied for cosmetic, medicinal, and agricultural purposes. We simulated the docking of tyrosinase and D-(−)-arabinose and found a binding energy of −4.5 kcal/mol for theup-formof D-(−)-arabinose and −4.4 kcal/mol for thedown-form of D-(−)-arabinose. The results of molecular dynamics simulation suggested that D-(−)-arabinose interacts mostly with HIS85, HIS259, and HIS263, which are believed to be in the active site. Our kinetic study showed that D-(−)-arabinose is a reversible, mixed-type inhibitor of tyrosinase (α-value  = 6.11 ± 0.98, K_i = 0.21 ± 0.19 M). Measurements of intrinsic fluorescence showed that D-(−)-arabinose induced obvious tertiary changes to tyrosinase (binding constant K = 1.58 ± 0.02 M⁻¹, binding number n = 1.49 ± 0.06). This strategy of predicting tyrosinase inhibition based on specific interactions of aldehyde and hydroxyl groups with the enzyme may prove useful for screening potential tyrosinase inhibitors.

The ability of an ethanol extract of Cinnamomum cassia to inhibit Src and spleen tyrosine kinase activity contributes to its anti-inflammatory action

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cinnamomum cassia Blume (Aceraceae) has been traditionally used to treat various inflammatory diseases such as gastritis. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Cinnamomum cassia has not been fully elucidated. This study examined the anti-inflammatory mechanism of 95% ethanol extract (Cc-EE) of Cinnamomum cassia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effect of Cc-EE on the production of inflammatory mediators in RAW264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages was investigated. Molecular mechanisms underlying the effects, especially inhibitory effects, was elucidated by analyzing the activation of transcription factors and their upstream signaling, and by evaluating the kinase activity of target enzymes.

RESULTS

Cc-EE of Cinnamomum cassia diminished the production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and prostaglandin (PG)E(2), in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Cc-EE also blocked mRNA expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and TNF-α by suppressing the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and simultaneously inhibited its upstream inflammatory signaling cascades, including spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and Src. Consistent with these findings, the extract directly blocked the kinase activities of Src and Syk.

CONCLUSION

Cc-EE exerts strong anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing Src/Syk-mediated NF-κB activation, which contributes to its major ethno-pharmacological role as an anti-gastritis remedy. Future work will be focused on determining whether the extract can be further developed as an anti-inflammatory drug.

2-methoxycinnamaldehyde from Cinnamomum cassia reduces rat myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury in vivo due to HO-1 induction

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cinnamomum cassia Blume has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for alleviation of fever, inflammation, chronic bronchitis, and to improve blood circulation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We addressed whether 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (2-MCA), one of active ingredients of Cinnamomum cassia, reduces vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-activated endothelial cells and protects ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-injury due to heme oxygenase (HO)-1 induction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult male rats were subjected to 30 min of ischemia by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by 24h of reperfusion. Rats were randomized to receive vehicle or 2-MCA (i.v.) 10 min before reperfusion.

RESULTS

Administration of 2-MCA significantly improved I/R-induced myocardial dysfunction by increasing the values of the first derivative (±dp/dt) of left ventricular pressure and decreased infarct size. In addition, 2-MCA reduced the expression of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an activator of the inflammatory cascade when released into the extracellular space, and VCAM-1 in I/R myocardium along with increase of HO-1 induction. The reduced injury was accompanied by significantly reduction of neutrophils infiltration and increased SOD activity in ischemic tissues and reduced serum level of cardiac troponin I (cTnI). Furthermore, 2-MCA significantly increased HO-1 induction by translocation of Nrf-2 from cytosol to nucleus in endothelial cells. Inhibition of VCAM-1 expression by 2-MCA was reversed both by SnPPIX, a HO-1 inhibitor and siHO-1 RNA trasfection in TNF-α-activated cells. In addition, 2-MCA significantly inhibited NF-κB luciferase activity in TNF-α-activated endothelial cells. As expected, 2-MCA significantly inhibited monocyte (U937) adhesion to endothelial cells.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that 2-MCA protects of myocardial I/R-injury due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action possibly by HO-1 induction which can be explained why Cinnamomum cassia has been used in inflammatory disorders.

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.