Planta Med 2006; 72 - P_041
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-949841

Screening of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors from Fungal Extracts

P Oinonen 1, 2, 3, A Mettälä 3, P Vuorela 1, 4, A Hatakka 3
  • 1Drug Discovery and Development Technology Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter, P.O. Box 56, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
  • 2Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter, P.O. Box 56, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
  • 3Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter, P.O. Box 56, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
  • 4Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, BioCity, Tykistönkatu 6 A, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland

The purpose of this study was to screen fungal extracts for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Most of the fungi studied were basidiomycetous wood-rotting fungi belonging to the genera Trametes, Phellinus, Pycnoporus, Ganoderma and Piptoporus.

Altogether 125 strains of fungi were grown in liquid media for 8 weeks. The growth media were extracted with ethylacetate and the extracts were screened for the inhibitory effect. In addition some of the media were also extracted with water. We used TLC bioautograpical assay described by Marston et al. (2002) for screening. Physostigmine was used as positive control for both enzymes.

We detected 146 bands inhibiting AChE selectively, 72 bands inhibiting BChE selectively and 56 bands inhibiting both enzymes. Selective AChE inhibitory effect was detected in 92 extracts whereas selective BChE inhibory effect was detected in 41 extracts. Non-selective effect was detected in 44 extracts.

Reference: 1. Marston, A. et al. (2002), Phytochem. Anal. 13: 51–54.