Comparative Anti-Oxidative and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Potentials of Selected Plants in Treating Alzheimer’s and Degenerative Diseases

Background and Objective: Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are important therapeutic agents in Alzheimer’s and other cognitive complications. The study aimed to evaluate acetylcholinesterase inhibition, antioxidant activity and other biochemical indices of the three solvent-extracts of five plant species from South-Western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The leaves were extracted with solvents, phytochemical screening and in vitro antioxidant properties of the extracts were determined. Rats weighing between 140 to 150 g were divided into groups comprising of normal control, 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP), aqueous, methanol and ethanol groups for each of the five plants. The rats were induced with 3.3 mg kg^–1 b.wt., of DDVP for two weeks with the aim of inducing cognitive complications while the induced animals were treated with 3.3 mg kg^–1 b.wt., of the extracts of the five plant species for another two weeks. The rats were anaesthetized and quickly dissected individually to collect serum and organs homogenates to evaluate the studied parameters using standard procedures. Results: The three extracts of the five plants show powerful in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties, impressive anti-lipid peroxidation potentials and promising acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity. Conclusion: These plant solvents extracts could be locally utilized in drug developments to prevent and cure the consequences of Alzheimer disease (AD) and associated disorders.