Screening for potential acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of selected Philippine Pteridophytes
Abstract
Phytochemical studies involving pteridophytes have been conducted and it has been demonstrated that many species under this group contain numerous interesting chemical constituents. This research intended to screen secondary metabolites and acetylcholinesterase inhibition from the crude leaf extracts of selected Philippine pteridophytes, collected at Makiling Rainforest Park (Mt. Makiling, Laguna, Philippines). The five crude DCM-MeOH extracts from different plants (Angiopteris erect a Desv., Asplenium nidus L., Diplazium sp., Drynaria sp., and Pleocnemia sp.) were screened for their secondary metabolites using phytochemical screening (TLC). All crude DCM-MeOH extracts gave blue spots with potassium ferricyanide-ferric chloride, which may be indicative of the presence of flavonoids. Specifically, Drymaria sp. And Pleocnemia sp. Gave orange and blue violet spots with Borntrager's reagent, which may be indicative of the presence of anthraquinones and higher alcohols, phenols, essential oils respectively. Furthermore, the extracts were tested for their acetylcholinesterase (Ache) inhibition activity using a modified Ellman’s spectrophotometric method. Among all the crude extracts, Pleocnemia sp. (IC50 = 0.05383 mg/mL) showed the best potency for anticholinesterase activity. This research represents the first study regarding acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of the leaves of selected Philippine pteridophytes.