Anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects of Tripleurospermum disciforme and Dracocephalum multicaule

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, owing to medicinal plants as a candidate to obtain promising new medicinal agents, there is a renewed interest in the use of these natural sources for drug development. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we aimed to assess the anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and neuropotective effects of Tripleurospermum disciforme and Dracocephalum multicaule extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methanolic extract of the plants was prepared by maceration method. Anticholinesterase effect of different concentrations of the plants was studied by colorimetric method and antioxidant activity was evaluated using diphenypicrylhydrazil (DPPH) assay. Protective effect of the extracts against amyloid β (Aβ)-induced toxicity in PC12 cells was determined by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) method. RESULTS: Both T. disciforme and D. multicaule extracts could inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in a dose-dependent manner. The highest inhibition occurred at 5 μg/ml (71.18 ± 4.9 and 79.06 ± 3.1% inhibition respectively by T. disciforme and D. multicaule) in comparison to tacrine (86.37 ± 3.24%). The greatest DPPH inhibition of T. disciforme and D. multicaule was shown at 800 μg/ml (89.04 ± 3.9 and 78.5 ± 3.7%, respectively). None of tested extracts induced protection against βA toxicity in PC12 cell. CONCLUSION: Although the results indicated anticholinesterase and antioxidant of the T. disciforme and D. multicaule, further specific studies and scientific validity are needed.