Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity After in vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of Infusions of Mentha Species.
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Date
2013-07
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Abstract
Aims: To study the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Mentha infusions before and
after the gastrointestinal digestion and to correlate this activity with the chemical
compounds present in these infusions.
Place and Duration of Study: Fresh Mentha x piperita, M. spicata, M. pulegium were
bought in a local supermarket. These plants were composed of leaves, stems and flowers
for the identification, which was carried out in Plant Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of
Sciences, University of Lisbon. The chemical identification of the infusions and the
enzymatic tests were carried out in the Center of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Faculty of
Science University of Lisbon from September 2010 till June 2011. Methodology: The compounds present in the infusions were identified by LC-MS. The
enzyme activity assay was carried out using a spectrophotometric method. The digestive
simulation was accomplished using enzymatic juices prepared in the laboratory and
Caco-2 cells lines simulating the intestine barrier.
Results: All the Mentha infusions contained rosmarinic acid. M. spicata infusion
contained also eriocitrin and eriodictyol. The IC50 values for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory
activity of the infusions, before digestion, stayed between 0.72 and 1.9 mg/mL. These
activities are statistically different at p<.05. These activities can be explained by the
presence of the phenolic compounds mentioned. Rosmarinic acid has an IC50 equal to
0.439 mg/mL (1.22 mM), eriocitrin and eriodictyol have IC50 equal to 0.439 mg/mL (0.29
mM) and 0.256 mg/mL (0.89 mM) respectively. The presence of these two flavonoids,
eriocitrin and eriodictyol, can account for the higher activity detected for M. spicata. The
gastric juice or the pancreatic juices used to simulate the gastrointestinal digestion did not
originate any difference in the chemical composition of the infusions (analysed by HPLCDAD).
This was also corroborated by the enzymatic tests. The Caco-2 cells did not
originate any modification in the enzymatic activity of the infusions. The analysis of the
cell homogenate revealed the presence of rosmarinic acid and the phenolic compounds,
although in minor amount.
Conclusion: Mentha infusions have the capacity to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, due to
the presence of rosmarinic acid, eriocitrin and eriodictyol The composition of the Mentha
herbal teas was not modified by the gastro-intestinal juices, or by the intestinal cell line.
Description
Keywords
Mentha aqueous-extracts, rosmarinic acid, eriocitrin, eriodictyol, anti-acetylcholinesterase, in vitro digestion
Citation
Dinis Pedro C, FalĂ© Pedro L, Madeira Paulo J Amorim, FlorĂȘncio M Helena, Serralheiro Maria L. Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity After in vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of Infusions of Mentha Species.European Journal of Medicinal Plants. 2013 Jul-Sept; 3(3): 381-393.