The impact of some phenolic compounds on serum acetylcholinesterase: kinetic analysis of an enzyme/inhibitor interaction and molecular docking study

Abstract

In the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it is important to develop alternative cholinesterase inhibitors with antioxidant properties that will reduce acetylcholine deficiency and free radical formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydroquinone, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid and chlorogenic acid against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), partially purified from serum. Binding of compounds with effective inhibitory potential to the AChE active site as competitive was illuminated by molecular docking. Hydroquinone, chlorogenic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid have been found to have higher inhibitory potential than others against the AChE. IC₅₀ and K_I values of the phenolic compounds against AChE were found in the range of 0.26 ± 0.01–36.34 ± 2.72 mM and 0.72 ± 0.00–29.23 ± 2.62 mM, respectively. The effectiveness of the compounds has been associated with its structure. Consequently, the phenolic compounds, which have AChE inhibitory potential and antioxidant properties, can be considered as alternative drugs in the treatment of AD.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Keywords:

• Alzheimer disease
• phenolic compounds
• molecular docking
• acetylcholinesterase inhibitor

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Fund of Atatürk University (grant number 2014/182) and the Research Fund of Anadolu University (grant number 1610S681).