Antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of Heliotropium dolosum, H. lasiocarpum and H. hirsutissimum growing in Turkey

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has encouraged science to find plants or biologic compounds which can be utilized for prophylaxis of AD. Heliotropium genus is presented by 16 taxa in Turkey and they contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and certain are known to have antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities. The paper displays the anticholinesterase and antioxidant capacities of the aerial parts lyophilized aqueous extracts of H. dolosum, H. lasiocarpum and H. hirsutissimum. Phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of examples were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu's, qualitative/quantitative DPPH and TBA. Anticholinesterase activity was assessed by Ellman's method. The total phenolic content of H. lasiocarpum extract was found the highest (738.39 mg/g), however the total phenolic content of H. dolosum extract was found the lowest (122.731 mg/g). Every example indicated that antioxidant activity with DPPH test and H. lasiocarpum presented the highest activities (69.99 μg/mL). Furthermore, the H. lasiocarpum extract indicated considerable inhibition towards acetylcholinesterase (5.90%) and butyrylcholinesyterase (24.04%) enzymes. These findings suggest that these Heliotropium species can be effective for pharmaceutic products that achieve anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities.