Anti-Cholinesterase Potential of Standardized Extract of PHELA a Traditional South African Medicine Formulation

PHELA is a South African traditional medicine formulation. The decoction and infusion with water is consumed orally by persons with compromised immune systems. The present investigation is based on different approaches of exploitation and exploration of PHELA for cholinesterase inhibition activity based on its biomarker profiling. The extract was subjected to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening (total flavonoids and phenolic contents) spectrophotometrically. The extract was standardized for the presence of emodin as standard phytomarker through HPTLC analysis (Mukherjee, 2019). The in vitro cholinesterase inhibition potential of the extract was performed using a 96-well micro plate assaybased on Ellman’s method using galanthamine as standard inhibitor. The results of the cholinesterase enzyme inhibition assay were expressed as IC₅₀ values. Estimated contents of total phenolics and flavonoids in the extract were found to be 16.92 ± 0.13 mg of GA/g and 13.71 ± 0.11 mg of RU/g respectively. For PHELA extract the IC₅₀ values were found to be 105.89 μg/ml for DPPH assay and 107.99 μg/ml for hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. The IC₅₀values for standard ascorbic acid were found to be 93.21 μg/ml and 98.73 μg/ml. The amount of standard ursolic acid and emodin were quantitatively determined through HPTLC analysis and were found to be 0.53%w/w and 1.53%w/w respectively. The IC₅₀ values for inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzyme were 257.94 ± 1.37 μg/mL for PHELA and 20.15 ± 0.16 μg/mL for galantamine.The South African traditional formulation was investigated for its beneficial effects on neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. All the findings together showed that it may serve as a useful source for phytochemicals against disorders like Alzheimer’s.