In Vitro Anti-Cholinesterase and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts of Plants from Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.

This study evaluated extracts from two locations in Niger Delta for in vitro anti-cholinesterase and antioxidant activities. Methanolic, aqueous and ethanolic extracts of were evaluated for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, antioxidant properties, and total phenolic and flavonoid contents using standard procedures. extracts possessed significant and concentration dependent AChE inhibitory activity for methanolic, aqueous, and ethanolic extracts. For the most potent extracts, the percentage AChE inhibition/IC (µg/mL) values were root methanolic extracts (MORME): ~80%/0.00845; root ethanolic extract 1 (MOREE1): ~90%/0.0563; root ethanolic extract 2 (MOREE2): ~70%/0.00175; and bark ethanolic extract (MOBEE): ~70%/0.0173. The descending order of AChE inhibitory potency of plant parts were: root > bark > leaf > flowers > seed. All methanolic extracts at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL displayed significant ( < 0.05⁻0.001) DPPH radical scavenging activity, with values of ~20⁻50% of that of ascorbic acid. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content (TPC/TFC) of MORME, bark methanolic extract (MOBME), MOREE1, MOREE2 and Moringa leaf ethanolic leaf extract (MLEE) were (287/254), (212/113), (223/185), (203/343) and (201/102) mg gallic acid equivalents/g and quercetin equivalents/g, respectively. There was an inverse correlation between plant extract AChE inhibition and total phenolic ( < 0.0001) and total flavonoid contents ( < 0.0012). In summary, this study revealed 5 of 19 extracts of that have potent in vitro anti-cholinesterase and antioxidant activities.