Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition of ethanolic extract and monoterpenes from Pimpinella anisoides V Brig. (Apiaceae)

Ethanolic extract from the fruits of Pimpinella anisoides, an aromatic plant and a spice, exhibited activity against AChE and BChE, with IC50 values of 227.5 and 362.1 μg/ml, respectively. The most abundant constituents of the extract were trans-anethole, (+)-limonene and (+)-sabinene. trans-Anethole exhibited the highest activity against AChE and BChE with IC50 values of 134.7 and 209.6 μg/ml, respectively. The bicyclic monoterpene (+)-sabinene exhibited a promising activity against AChE (IC50 of 176.5 μg/ml) and BChE (IC50 of 218.6 μg/ml).

Graphical abstractThe in vitro acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes inhibition of ethanolic extract of the aromatic plant Pimpinella anisoides V Brig. (Apiaceae) and its major components, trans-anethole, (+)-limonene and (+)-sabinene, are investigated.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide