Multidimensional Studies of Pancratium parvum Dalzell Against Acetylcholinesterase: A Potential Enzyme for Alzheimer's Management

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Molecular Docking Insights into Pancratium maritimum Seeds and Flowers: A Phytochemical Approach

This study investigates the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties of Pancratium maritimum L. in Sp. Pl.: 291 (1753) seeds and flowers. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH free radical scavenging and iron chelation assays. Antimicrobial evaluations assessed the efficacy of the extracts against diverse microorganisms. Cell viability assays were conducted on the dukes c colon cancer (SW480), while gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis facilitated the identification of bioactive compounds. The ethanol extract of P. maritimum seeds exhibited a total phenolic content of 296.89±14.53 mg GAE/g extract DW and a total flavonoid content of 361.03±20.18 mg QE/g extract DW. Conversely, the flower extract showed a total phenolic content of 95.03±7.22 mg GAE/g extract DW and a total flavonoid content of 272.12±16.42 mg QE/g extract DW. As a result, the ethanol extract of P. maritimum seeds contains higher phenolic and flavonoid contents than the flower extract. Antimicrobial evaluations demonstrated significant inhibitory effects of both seed and flower extracts, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 25 to >50 mg/mL. Notably, the seed extract showed greater activity against E. coli and C. krusei. GC-MS analysis identified 18 bioactive compounds in the seed extract and 16 in the flower extract, with crucial components including ethyl oleate and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Additionally, cell viability assays revealed that ethanol extracts from seeds and flowers significantly reduced SW480 cell viability, particularly at doses of 750 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL, respectively. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of P. maritimum in terms of its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties, highlighting its value as a natural source of antioxidants and antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, the molecular docking study emphasises strong binding interactions of key compounds, particularly ethyl oleate and hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester, with the human STARD10 protein. The biological interactions and health implications of P. maritimum provide a significant foundation for future research in drug development and therapeutic applications.

Isoquinoline Alkaloid Contents in Macleaya cordata Extracts and Their Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibition

An important strategy for treating neurodegenerative disorders is to maintain the levels of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft by blocking the cholinesterases. Searching for new effective compounds with inhibited acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity is one of the most significant challenges of the modern scientific research. The aim of this study was the optimization of the condition for cholinesterase activity determination by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) in terms of concentrations of enzymatic reaction mixture components, temperature of incubation, and incubation time. In vitro investigation of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity inhibition by some isoquinoline alkaloids and extracts obtained from the aerial part and roots of Macleaya cordata collected in May, July, and September. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity inhibition of the extracts obtained from the plant had not been tested previously. The application of the HPLC method allowed eliminating absorption of interfering components, for example, alkaloids such as sanguinarine and berberine. The HPLC method was successfully applied for the evaluation of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity in samples such as plant extracts, especially those containing colored components adsorbing at the same wavelength as the adsorption wavelength of 5-thio-2-nitro-benzoic acid, which is the product of the reaction between thiocholine (product of the hydrolysis of acetyl/butyrylthiocholine reaction) with Ellman’s reagent. Moreover, liquid chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC–QqQ–ESI–MS/MS) analysis allowed evaluating the identification of relevant bioactive compounds in the obtained plant extracts. The investigated alkaloids, especially sanguinarine and chelerythrine, and all the Macleaya cordata extracts, especially the extract obtained from the aerial part collected in May, exhibited very high cholinesterase activity inhibition. HPLC-DAD was also applied for the kinetics study of the most active alkaloids sanguinarine and chelerythrine. Our investigations demonstrated that these plant extracts can be recommended for further in vivo experiments to confirm their cholinesterase inhibition activity.