European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF ANTI-ALZHEIMER EFFECTS ON WHOLE PLANT OF DESMODIUM TRIFLORUM (L.) DC

Reeha P. H.*, Meera Bhaskaran Nair and Anagha Vijayan K. M.

ABSTRACT

Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC (Fabaceae) is a perennial medicinal plant which has a long history of use in traditional medicine for various treatment. The present study evaluates the pharmacognostic and pharmacological potential of methanolic extract of D. triflorum against invitro model of Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmacognostic evaluation including examination of morphological characters, microscopic characters, ash value, powder analysis, and extractive values were carried out. Phytochemical screening including chemical examination were also carried out. Anti-Alzheimer’s activity of D. triflorum were evaluated using acetylcholinesterase inhibition cell line assay and beta amyloid neurodegeneration cell line assay in PC12 cells. The Phytochemical investigation of D. triflorum revealed the presence of various important secondary metabolites such as carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, glycosides, flavonoids alkaloids and phenols in methanolic extract. AChE inhibitory activity of various concentrations of the extract (25, 50 and 100μg/ml) showed significant increase in the percentage inhibition of AChE enzyme from 19.24 to 66.28, when compared with the percentage inhibition of standard drug Donepezil hydrochloride. Test sample at highest concentration(100μg/ml) showed maximum inhibition on AChE activity as compared to standard Donepezil hydrochloride alone. In beta amyloid -induced cytotoxicity the cell viability was measured using MTT assay. Here D. triflorum methanolic extract at concentrations of 1.5,3.1,6.25,12.5 and 25 μg/ml significantly restored cell survival to 53.44%, 59.80%, 67.78%, 75.75% and 89.34% respectively, exhibiting cytoprotection in a dose-dependent manner. The study concludes that D.triflorum possesses neuroprotective activity on PC12 cells with significant AChE inhibitory activity.

Keywords: Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC; Anti-Alzheimer’s activity; Acetylcholinesterase inhibition cell line assay; Beta amyloid neurodegeneration cell line assay; PC12 cells; MTT assay.