Abstract

EXTRACTION OF ALPHA-AMYLASE ACTIVATORS AND ACETYL-CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITORS FROM SEEDS OF BRASSICA NIGRA AND SCREENING OF IT’S ACTIVITY ON ZEBRAFISH FOR TREATMENT OF HYPOGLYCEMIA AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Aparna K. G., Netra Deshpande, Suma Sowdi and Guruprasad R.*

ABSTRACT

Abnormally low levels of blood sugar are referred to as Hypoglycemia. Uncontrolled hypoglycemia has increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related dementia. Alpha-amylase is a digestive starch hydrolase, breaking down carbohydrates into glucose molecules. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neuro-degenerative disease and Acetylcholine is an organic molecule which acts as a neurotransmitter in many organisms, the enzyme Acetylchoilnesterase (AChE) breaks down acetylcholine into acetic acid and choline. Inhibition of the enzymatic activity of AChE and activation of alpha-amylase is needed for the deceleration of hypoglycemia and neuro-degeneration caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Plant compounds are known to contain AChE inhibitory and also amylase activating compounds. The activity of amylase was observed using in-vitro burn-field assay and the activity of AChE was observed using brain homogenate of healthy zebrafish and hence treated with methanol extract of the seeds of Brassica nigra. The AChE was extracted from the brain homogenate of zebrafish and acid-base titration was conducted with varied concentrations of plant extract, and its activity was compared. The plant was further subjected to GC-MS analysis and the most probable compound which binds to the enzyme alpha-amylase (for activation) and AChE (for inhibition) was found to be Alpha-bisabolol, by auto docking software. The activity of alpha-amylase was increased by and AChE was reduced by 86.6% and 50% from plant extract and the compound alpha-bisabolol respectively.

Keywords: Hypoglycemia, Alpha- amylase, Activation, Alzheimer’s disease, Acetyl cholinesterase, Inhibition, Zebra Fish, Plant extract, Alpha-bisabolol.