Inhibition of cholinesterase activity and amyloid aggregation by berberine-phenyl-benzoheterocyclic and tacrine-phenyl-benzoheterocyclic hybrids

A series of berberine-phenyl-benzoheterocyclic and tacrine-phenyl-benzoheterocyclic hybrids were synthesised and evaluated as multifunctional anti-Alzheimer's disease agents. Compound 44b, was the most potent AChE inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.017 μM. This compound demonstrated similar Aβ aggregation inhibitory activity with cucurmin (51.8% vs 52.1% at 20 μM, respectively).