Interaction of lobed kudzuvine root, rhizoma chuanxiong with both acetylcholinesterase and beta-amyloid (Aβ1-42)

BACKGROUND: Lobed kudzuvine root and rhizoma chuanxiong are effective drugs in traditional Chinese medicine. OBJECTIVE: Extracts of the two medicines were investigated for their in vitro of beta-amyloid (Aβ1-42)-aggregation-and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-inhibitory activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The interaction of lobed kudzuvine root, rhizoma chuanxiong with both acetylcholinesterase and beta-amyloid (Aβ1-42) were studied by Michaelis–Menten equations, Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence analysis and transmission electron microscope (TEM). RESULTS: Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase showed that 1-butanol fraction of the two medicines were noncompetitive inhibition, apparent inhibition constants were 9.947 and 7.1523. ThT fluorescence analysis and TEM results indicated that inhibition of the water fraction and 1-butanol fraction (both lobed kudzuvine root and rhizoma chuanxiong) was better. CONCLUSION: The result supported further research on chemical constituents and pharmacological mechanisms.