Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease, is the most common form of dementia. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a common strategy for the treatment of AD. In this study, aqueous, hydro-methanolic, and methanolic extracts of five potent herbal extracts were tested for their in vitro anti-AChE activity. Among all, the Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy) methanolic fraction performed better with an IC₅₀ of 202.64 µg/mL. Of the HPLC analyzed components of T. cordifolia (methanolic extract), palmatine and berberine performed better (IC₅₀ 0.66 and 0.94 µg/mL, respectively) as compared to gallic acid and the tool compound “galantamine hydrobromide” (IC₅₀ 7.89 and 1.45 µg/mL, respectively). Mode of inhibition of palmatine and berberine was non-competitive, while the mode was competitive for the tool compound. Combinations of individual alkaloids palmatine and berberine resulted in a synergistic effect for AChE inhibition. Therefore, the AChE inhibition by the methanolic extract of T. cordifolia was probably due to the synergism of the isoquinoline alkaloids. Upon molecular docking, it was observed that palmatine and berberine preferred the peripheral anionic site (PAS) of AChE, with π-interactions to PAS residue Trp286, indicating that it may hinder the substrate binding by partially blocking the entrance of the gorge of the active site or the product release.

(1) Background: Withania somnifera Dunal (Ashwagandha) is a widely used medicinal herb in traditional medicinal systems with extensive research on various plant parts. Surprisingly, seeds of W. somnifera have never been investigated for their therapeutic potential. (2) Methods: W. somnifera seeds were extracted for fatty acids (WSSO) using super critical fluid extraction, and was analyzed by gas chromatography. Its therapeutic potential in psoriasis-like skin etiologies was investigated using a 12-O tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced psoriatic mouse model. Psoriatic inflammation along with psoriatic lesions and histopathological scores were recorded. WSSO was also tested on murine macrophage (RAW264.7), human epidermoid (A431), and monocytic (THP-1) cells, stimulated with TPA or lipo poly-saccharide (LPS) to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and TNF-α) release. NFκB promoter activity was also measured by luciferase reporter assay. (3) Results: Topical application of WSSO with concurrent oral doses significantly reduced inflammation-induced edema, and repaired psoriatic lesions and associated histopathological scores. Inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines release was observed in WSSO-treated A431 and THP-1 cells, along with reduced NFκB expression. WSSO also inhibited reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. (4) Conclusion: Here we show that the fatty acids from W. somnifera seeds have strong anti-inflammatory properties, along with remarkable therapeutic potential on psoriasis-like skin etiologies.

Putrajeevak (Putranjiva roxburghii Wall.; synonym Drypetes roxburghii (Wall.) Hurus) seeds have been used since ancient times in the treatment of infertility in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. In this study, the oil component of Putrajeevak seeds (PJSO) was extracted using the supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) method using liquid CO₂ and the constituents were analyzed using gas chromatography-flame ionized detectorand high-performance thin-layer chromatography. PJSO contained trace amounts of β-sitosterol with oleic and linoleic acids as the major fatty acid constituents. Male and female zebrafish were mutagenized with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) and fish that produced less than 20 viable embryos were selected for the study. SCFE oil extracts from the P. roxburghii seeds were used in this study to reverse fertility impairment. The mutant fish were fed with PJSO for a period of 14 days and the rates of fertility, conception, and fecundity were determined with wild-type healthy fish as a breeding partner. Treatment with PJSO increased the ovarian follicle count as well as the number of mature eggs, while reducing the number of ovarian cysts. Sperm count as well as sperm motility were greatly enhanced in the ENU-mutagenized male zebrafish when treated with PJSO. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the effectiveness of P. roxburghii seed oil in reversing impaired fertility in both male and female zebrafish models.