Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a major contributor (60-70%) for dementia with an unclear cause is a neurodegenerative disorder in humans primarily responsible for memory loss. Some hypotheses hold that acetylcholinesterase (AChE) - an enzyme already present in the human body, accountable for decreasing the levels of acetylcholine. AChE hydrolyses acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the human brain into choline and acetate. Acetylcholine plays a significant role in memory boost. Tyrosinase, which catalyzes the oxidation of phenols like tyrosine and dopamine, can produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species leading to cell death. Blueberries, classified under genus Vaccinium are known to have anti-oxidant phyto-nutrients with high levels of anthocyanins and phenolic content that helps in anti-aging. This research primarily focuses on examining blueberries for the inhibition of AChE and Tyrosinase in-vitro and ex-vivo. Blueberry samples were extracted to obtain polar compounds. The blueberry extract showed strong inhibition on AChE and tyrosinase, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC<sub>50</sub>) of 94 μg/mL for AChE, and IC<sub>50</sub> of 113 μg/mL for tyrosinase. Furthermore, our result demonstrated that blueberry extract inhibited the synthesis of AChE in cellular model. Those results indicate that the blueberry extract could enhance the cholinergic signaling.

Neuronal protection effects of blueberries

256th National Meeting (2018)

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