Enzyme Inhibitory Potential of Ligustrum lucidum Aiton Berries

Abstract

Ligustrum lucidum Aiton and its berries have been used in Chinese traditional medicine for around two thousand years. In the present study, L. lucidium berries harvested in two regions of Portugal were studied. Haemolytic activity and inhibition of oxidative haemolysis as well as the enzyme inhibitory activities (α-amylase enzyme and acetylcholinesterase) were assessed. Results suggest that the different biological activities varied according to the region where samples were collected. Results demonstrated that the sample obtained from region R1 was the most efficient extract for all parameters evaluated, presenting the lowest values of IC50, 10.67 ± 0.46 μg/mL for the inhibition of erythrocyte oxidative haemolysis, 58.28 ± 3.77 μg/mL for the α-amylase enzyme and 67.67 ± 2.10 μg/mL for the acetylcholinesterase inhibition. L. Lucidum berries may be an interesting source of compounds for use in the development of the therapeutic armamentarium for diseases where enzymatic disruption is believed to play a role.

Special Bioactivities of Phenolics from Acacia dealbata L. with Potential for Dementia, Diabetes and Antimicrobial Treatments

“…The spectra obtained with the hydroethanolic flowers extract (50:50) shown in Figure 9 display the strong influence of the compounds in this matrix [40]. The intense bands around 2975, 2931 and 2883 cm −1 were assigned to C-H stretching of some compounds present in the plant extracts, but also of the CH 2 and CH 3 stretching of the ethanol [18], and were influenced by the other substances from the plant extracts. The peak at 1450 cm −1 corresponded to the C-OH bending of ethanol, but also originated from the combination of bending vibration of CH 2 and the vibration of the COO-group in the flavanol and organic acids [41,42].…”

“…The extraction procedure was performed according to Paula et al [18]. Briefly, 10 g of flower samples were extracted with 100 mL of solvent with 50/50 ethanol/water following 15 h of stirring at 120 rpm at room temperature.…”