Comparison of anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of bulb and leaf extracts of Sternbergia candida Mathew & T. Baytop.

Studies on Alzheimer's disease have been highlighted due to increasing prevalence of this disease. Oldest hypothesis about the pathophysiology strengthens the research of cholinesterase inhibitors for treatment. Amaryllidaceae plants are well known for alkaloids showing cholinesterase inhibiting activity. Among them, Sternbergia species gained attention as a source of metabolites of these alkaloid contents. Studies have focused mainly on the bulbs of these plants. In this study the potential acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity of endemic Sternbergia candida Mathew & T. Baytop (Sc) species was evaluated in both bulbs and leaves in comparison with lycorine. We report for the first time that methanol and chloroform leaf extracts of the plant show AChE inhibitory (AChEI) activity. Among the leaf extracts methanolic extract was much more potent than chloroform extract by means of AChE inhibition. Although IC50 values for methanolic extract was found to be lower than reference drug lycorine; this value of inhibition did not reach to a statistically significant level. Future studies aiming at investigation of the AChE inhibitory activity could be considered using leaves of the plant.