Food‐derived Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors as Potential Agents against Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a critical enzyme involved in nerve functions and signal transmission within the brain. However, during aging, excessive AChE activity often leads to rapid and progressive depletion of acetylcholine (ACh), the major neurotransmitter. Shortage of ACh leads to reduced neurotransmission and the development of pathological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Therefore, one of the proven approaches toward the clinical management of AD is the use of compounds that inhibit AChE activity to produce enhanced brain levels of ACh and restore regular nerve functions in the brain. Hence the aim of this review is to provide information on recent advances in the use of various food-derived extracts and compounds as AChE-inhibitory agents. The major forms of AChE-inhibitory products are the aqueous or organic solvent extracts of various foods with polyphenolic compounds being the predominant constituents. Other types of food-derived AChE inhibitors include proteins, peptides, terpenoids and carotenoids. In addition to the proven efficacy at the in vitro level, several of these food products have been shown to be effective in reducing brain levels of AChE with concomitant improvements in memory functions. However, future research activities are needed to provide information on the structure-function and toxicological aspects of food-derived AChE-inhibitory compounds.

Production, Purification, and Potential Health Applications of Edible Seeds’ Bioactive Peptides: A Concise Review

“…BAPs can be produced from edible seeds through enzymatic hydrolysis of the protein using proteinases such as thermolysin, savinase, flavourzyme, elastase, trypsin, pepsin, chymotrypsin, alcalase, and pancreatin alone or in various combinations [33][34][35][36][37]. Hydrolysates of food proteins are frequently achieved via digestion (enzymatic) followed by subsequent separation of the peptides (soluble phase) from undigested proteins (insoluble phase) [38]. Protein hydrolysis is commonly regulated by the release of H + (proton) that builds up and reduces the pH of the mixture as the enzymatic reaction progresses with time.…”

The potential role of Piper guineense (black pepper) in managing geriatric brain aging: a review

“…Most drugs, such as levodopa, ropinirole (dopaminergic), used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other motor disorders (Lee 2019); donepezil, galantamine (cholinesterase inhibitors), used in the treatment of cognitive disorders (Hogan et al 2008); and antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromazine, haloperidol, aripiprazole, and benzodiazepines), used for the management of behavioral and psychological disorders (Tifratene et al 2017) are symptomatic (Chen and Pan 2015). These drugs have been associated with several undesirable side effects, including decreased heart rate, decreased appetite, and loss of weight (Aluko 2021). Hence, the direction has been shifted toward the use of some foods with acclaimed anti-neurodegenerative properties to prevent and manage these geriatric brain aging conditions.…”

“…The therapeutic use of piperine restores monoamine neurotransmission, thus alleviate cognitive impairment and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (Wang et al 2019). Piperine can attenuate the increase in lipid peroxidation and AChE activity (Mirmosayyeb et al 2017) and has been shown to reduce brain levels of AChE, which is connected to improvements in memory functions (Aluko 2021). It also exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in attenuating cerebral ischemic damage by modulating nuclear factor-kappa β (NF-κβ) (Vaibhav et al 2012).…”

“…According to Aluko (2021), synthetic drugs are also available for the treatment of brain aging-related diseases. However, studies have shown that the clinical usage of these drugs causes several undesirable side effects such as nausea, cramps, decreased appetite, and bradycardia.…”

“…However, studies have shown that the clinical usage of these drugs causes several undesirable side effects such as nausea, cramps, decreased appetite, and bradycardia. Since food-derived compounds may be better metabolized and tolerated by the human system (Aluko 2021), there is a need to investigate the potential use of food-related options, such as P. guineense, for brain-aging management.…”