Planta Med 1996; 62(5): 405-409
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957926
Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Novel Anticholinesterase and Antiamnesic Activities of Dehydroevodiamine, a Constituent of Evodia rutaecarpa

Cheol Hyoung Park1 , Seong-Hun Kim1 , Woong Choi1 , Young-Jae Lee1 , Ju Sun Kim2 , Sam Sik Kang2 , Yoo Hun Sun1
  • 1Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Department of Molecular Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2Natural Products Research Institute, Seoul National University, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
Further Information

Publication History

1995

1996

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

Abstract

To find a new compound with antiamnesic activity, we screened 29 natural products for their abilities to inhibit acetylcholinesterase and reverse scopolamine-induced amnesia. Among the plants tested Evodia rutaecarpa Bentham showed a strong inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase in vitro and an anti-amnesic effect in vivo. By sequential fractionation of E. rutaecarpa, the active component was finally identified as dehydroevodiamine hydrochloride (DHED). DHED inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity in a dose-dependent and non-competitive manner. The IC50 value of DHED is 37.8 µM, A single administration of DHED to rats (6.25 mg/kg) significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced memory impairment in a passive avoidance test. The antiamnesic effect of DHED was more potent than that of tacrine which is the only drug for Alzheimer's disease approved by FDA. This potent antiamnesic effect of DHED was thought to be due to the combined effects of acetylcholinesterase inhibition and the known cerebral blood flow enhancement. These results indicate that DHED has novel anticholinesterase and antiamnesic activities and might have therapeutic potential in various disorders including Alzheimer's disease.