Alkaloid profiling and anticholinesterase activity of South American Lycopodiaceae species

J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem. 2013 Feb;28(1):218-22. doi: 10.3109/14756366.2011.633908. Epub 2011 Nov 25.

Abstract

The alkaloid extracts of four Huperzia and one Lycopodiella species, from Brazilian habitats, were tested for their in vitro anticholinesterase activities. IC(50) values showed a potent acetylcholinesterase inhibition for H. reflexa (0.11 ± 0.05 μg/mL), followed by H. quadrifariata (2.0 ± 0.3 μg/mL), H. acerosa (5.5 ± 0.9 μg/mL), H. heterocarpon (25.6 ± 2.7 μg/mL) and L. cernua (42.6 ± 1.5 μg/mL). A lower inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase was observed for all species with the exception of H. heterocarpon (8.3 ± 0.9 μg/mL), whose alkaloid extract presented a selectivity for pseudocholinesterase. Moreover, the chemical study of the bioactive extracts performed by GC-MS, revealed the presence of a number of Lycopodium alkaloids belonging to the lycopodane, flabellidane and cernuane groups. Surprisingly, the potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors huperzines A and B were not detected in the extracts, suggesting that other alkaloids may be responsible for such an effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Brazil
  • Butyrylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Huperzia / chemistry
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Lycopodiaceae / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / analysis
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Quinolizines / pharmacology
  • South America

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings
  • Plant Extracts
  • Quinolizines
  • cernuine
  • clavolonine
  • lycopodine
  • Butyrylcholinesterase