Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Habranthus tubispathus

CAVALLARO VALERIA, ALZA NATALIA PAOLA, MURRAY ANA PAULA

Ciudad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina

Congreso; Primera Reunión Internacional de Ciencias Farmacéuticas; 2010

Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba y Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario

Habranthus tubispathus, (L`Hér.)Traub (Amaryllidaceae) is native to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. So far no phytochemical studies have been reported on this specie. Plants of the Amaryllidaceae family are known to contain isoquinoline alkaloids, commonly called Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. Some of these alkaloids are acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. The main role of AChE is the termination of nerve impulse transmission at the cholinergic synapses by rapid hydrolysis of acetylcholine. Inhibition of this enzyme is currently used for the treatment of Alzheimer´s disease, senile dementia, ataxia and myasthenia gravis. We proposed the isolation and characterization of the bioactive alkaloids from the bulbs of H. tubispathus.