In vitro anti-inflammatory and acetylcholinesterase inhibition efficiency of plant extracts from Sinai-Egypt

Abstract

Ten plant extracts were prepared and tested in <em>in vitro </em>assays against COX-2, COX-1 and acetylcholinesterase with evaluation of their antioxidant properties. The tested extracts exhibited varied anti COX-2 effect and they were superior to celecoxibe (inhibition percentage was 42.67% at 50 µg/mL), reference drug. <em>Lavandula coronopifolia</em> and <em>Scrophularia Libanotica</em> extracts were the efficient inhibitors (100% and 91% at 50 µg/mL respectively). <em>Launaeaspinosa</em> and <em>Pulicaria undulata</em> were the powerful AChE inhibitor (IC₅₀ values were 16.69 and 29.06 µg/mL, respectively) followed with <em>L. </em><em>coronopifolia</em> and <em>S.</em><em>libanotica</em> extracts (IC₅₀ values were 61.89 and 49.83 µg/mL, respectively) and they were efficient in scavenging superoxide radicals and metal ions, nitric oxide formation inhibition, as well as, lipid peroxide production suppression. <em>L. </em><em>coronopifolia</em> and <em>S. Libanotica </em>extracts can be introduced as natural cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors without affecting cyclooxygenase-1 whereas <em>L. spinosa</em> and <em>P. undulata</em> extracts were potent suppressor for AChE with robust antioxidant properties which suggest the possibility of using the four extracts, <em>L. coronopifolia</em>, <em>S. libanotica</em>, <em>L. spinosa</em> and <em>P. undulata</em> as natural agent in treating neurodegenerative disorder.