INVESTIGADORES
ORTEGA Maria Gabriela
artículos
Título:
Amino acid content and acetylcholinesterase inhibition of Huperzia saururus infusion and decoction
Autor/es:
M. G. VALLEJO; DIMMER JESICA; ORTEGA, M.G.,; CABRERA J.L; A.M. AGNESE
Revista:
PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY
Editorial:
TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2013 vol. 51 p. 1341 - 1345
ISSN:
1388-0209
Resumen:
Context: Huperzia saururus (Lam.) Trevis. (Lycopodiaceae), an autochthonous plant species in
Argentina, is used as a memory improver in traditional medicine. It was studied for this reason
and the purified alkaloid extract did show significant activity on learning and memory.
The species is mostly consumed in the form of infusions and decoctions.
Objectives: To evaluate the activity of the H. saururus infusion and decoction as inhibitors of
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and to determine the amino acid content in both extracts.
Material and methods: Infusion and decoction were purified by ionic exchange chromatography
and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography HPLC-UV, and the AChE inhibition of
these extracts was evaluated by using the Ellman method.
Results: Both infusion and decoction exerted strong AChE inhibitory activities (IC50¼7.20.4
and 22.75.6 mg/mL, respectively). Among nine amino acids, arginine (Arg) was identified in a
concentration greater than 9 mg/100 g of dried aerial parts in both extracts.
Discussion and conclusion: This high content of Arg could be considered a contributing factor to
the activity on memory previously demonstrated for the H. saururus alkaloid extract, since Arg is
implicated indirectly in mnemonic processes as a precursor in nitric oxide synthesis. Thus, the
central effect of H. saururus could involve two different mechanisms, the cholinergic
mechanism and the nitric oxide pathway.