In vitro anti-cholinesterase and anti-hyperglycemic activities of flowers extracts from seven pomegranate varieties

• The strongest anti-acetylcholinesterase activity: Espagnoule variety (IC50 = 2.7 μg/mL).
• The strongest anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity: Rafrafi (IC50 = 4.0 μg/mL), Garsi (IC50 = 4.5 μg/mL) varieties.
• The high anti-α-amylase activity: Zaghwani variety (IC50 = 185.9 μg/mL).
• The high anti-α-glucosidase activity: Rafrafi variety (IC50 = of 29.8 μg/mL).

Punica granatum (pomegranate, Punicaceae family) has been known as medicinal plant with potential biological activities. The present study was carried out to investigate the cholinesterase and hyperglycemic inhibitory activities of the flowers of pomegranate collected in South of Tunisia. The plant extracts were prepared with the ethanol solvent and the biological activities were variety and concentration dependent. Espagnoule variety with the lowest IC50 value of 2.70 ± 0.10 μg/mL exhibited the strongest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. It was found that Rafrafi (IC50 = 4.0 ± 0.11 μg/mL) and Garsi varieties (IC50 = 4.5 ± 0.21 μg/mL) exhibited the strongest butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity as compared with the reference drug, galanthamine (3.74 ± 0.28 μg/mL). For anti-hyperglycemic activity, the Rafrafi variety was the most potent against α-glucosidase activity with the lowest IC50 value of 29.77 ± 1.50 μg/mL. Only Zaghwani variety exhibited lower anti-α-amylase activity (IC50 = 185.92 ± 2.00 μg/mL) whereas other pomegranate varieties were not active.

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