In vitro cholinesterase enzymes inhibitory potential and in silico molecular docking studies of biogenic metal oxides nanoparticles

Abstract

The inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes represents a potential target in the treatment of Alzheimer disease. AChE and BChE inhibition was studied by biogenic metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO, NiO, Fe₂O₃, Co₃O₄ and PbO) synthesized using aqueous extracts of Sageretia thea (Osbeck.). The results demonstrated that the highest inhibition was shown by PbO nanoparticles with the IC50 values of 101.9 µg/mL for AChE and 119.8 µg/mL for BChE. Furthermore, the results obtained from molecular docking studies analyzing the interaction of nanoparticles with enzymes, were in good agreement with the experimental data.

Keywords:

• Sageretia thea
• nanoparticles
• Alzheimer
• cholinesterase
• molecular docking

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Material Research Department, iThemba Labs, Cape Town, South Africa and Pakistan Academy of Sciences for facilitating the research work.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.