Synthesis, in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and molecular docking of new acridine-coumarin hybrids

A novel series of acridine-coumarin hybrids was synthesized and biologically evaluated for their potential inhibitory effect on both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). The newly synthesized derivatives 9a-d have shown higher activity against human AChE (hAChE) compared with 7-MEOTA as the standard drug. Among them derivative 9b exhibited the most potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 5.85 μM compared with 7-MEOTA (IC50 = 15 μM). Molecular modelling studies were performed to predict the binding modes of compounds 9b, 9c and 9f with hAChE/hBuChE.