Coumarins from Peucedanum ostruthium. as Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase

Abstract

Different plant extracts have been screened by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) bioautography in an effort to discover new acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. The CH₂Cl₂ extract of Peucedanum ostruthium. (L.) Koch roots exhibited significant inhibition of AChE -l activity. Active constituents were isolated by bioguided fractionation using almost exclusively centrifugal partition chromatography. Four coumarins (ostruthin, imperatorin, ostruthol, and oxypeucedanin hydrate) and a chromone derivative (peucenin) were found to inhibit AChE activity in this bioassay.

Keywords:

• Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
• bioautography
• centrifugal partition chromatography
• coumarins
• Peucedanum ostruthium