Neuroprotective potential of the fruit (acorn) from Quercus coccifera L.

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease are among the deadly disorders affecting the elderly population. Unfortunately, effective treatments and medications are still needed to combat these diseases. The ethanol extracts of the raw peeled acorns and acorn coffees from Quercus coccifera prepared by two different methods (boiled-roasted ground and roasted ground) were tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and tyrosinase (TYR), the enzymes associated with neurodegeneration. The acorns used in the present study were harvested from wild Quercus coccifera L. trees in Kilis Province, located in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey in November 2016. Cholinesterase (ChE) and TYR inhibitory activity of the ethanol extracts prepared from raw material and two coffee samples were screened using an ELISA microtiter assay at 2 mg/mL stock concentration. Antioxidant effects of the extracts were also tested for their scavenging activity against DPPH, while total phenol and flavonoid quantities of the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. Our results indicated that all of the extracts had notable AChE and BChE inhibition, while they were inactive against TYR. The most active extract against ChEs was prepared from the raw material, which led to 65.94 ± 3.59% and 85.04 ± 3.83% inhibition against AChE and BChE, respectively. Our data indicate that the fruit extract from Quercus coccifera is a source of promising ChE inhibitors and deserves future study.

Cancer preventive and neuroprotective potentials of red hulls, kernels and oleo-gum resins from Pistachio

“…AChE and BChE inhibitory activity of the samples was measured by slightly modified spectrophotometric method of Ellman et al (1961). All reagents, conditions and calculations were same as described in the previous publications (Senol et al, 2018;Gezici and Sekeroglu, 2019b). Briefly, electric eel AChE (EC 3.1.1.Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) and horse serum BChE (EC 3.1.1.…”

“…By now, anticancer, antiproliferative, anticholinesterase, antityrosinase, antioxidant, and other biological activities of numerous medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) and secondary metabolites isolated from MAPs were analysed in our laboratory (Akgunlu et al, 2016;Sekeroglu et al, 2017;Gezici et al, 2017;Belkhodja et al, 2017;Karik et al, 2018;Gundogdu et al, 2018;Senol et al, 2018;Gezici, 2018;Das et al, 2019;Shida et al, 2019;Gezici and Sekeroglu, 2019a;Gezici and Sekeroglu, 2019b;Gezici, 2019a;Gezici 2019b;Gezici, 2019, Sekeroglu et al, 2019 in press). Take into consideration our ongoing projects, evaluation cancer protective potentials against human cancer cells, investigating neuroprotective activities through enzyme inhibitions on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and TYR (tyrosinase) enzymes, along with determination of antioxidant capacities of extracts obtained from red hulls, kernels and oleo-gum resins of Pistachio (P. vera L.) are the main objectives of the presented research.…”

Acorns as a Source of Valuable Compounds for Food and Medical Applications: A Review of Quercus Species Diversity and Laboratory Studies

“…Table 5 presents source data relating to the use of the potential of bioactive ingredients found in acorns based on in vitro and in vivo studies. The results obtained by the authors indicate, among others, the possibility of using acorn extracts to inhibit selected enzymes (e.g., liver enzymes, enzymes stimulating the decomposition of neurotransmitters, or enzymes regulating the sugarinsulin metabolism) [120][121][122][123], heal skin wounds [124] or prevent inflammation (e.g., in gum diseases) [125]. The health-promoting properties of acorns are due to the presence of phytonutrients in them, among which the most important are phenolic compounds, triterpenes, sterols, tocopherols, and carotenoids [10,13].…”

Xanthotoxin and umbelliferone attenuate cognitive dysfunction in a streptozotocin‐induced rat model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease: The role of JAK2/STAT3 and Nrf2/HO‐1 signalling pathway modulation

“…In agreement with these results, Senol et al (2011) and Skalicka-wozniak et al (2018) reported the cholinesterase inhibitory effect of xanthotoxin. Furthermore, many plants were reported to protect against AD through being a potential source of AChE inhibitors (Sekeroglu & Gezici, 2019;Şenol, Şekero glu, Gezıcı, Kiliç, & Erdo gan Orhan, 2018).…”