Acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitory activities by ellagic acid derivatives isolated from Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii

Among 276 herbal extracts, a methanol extract of Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii stems was selected as an experimental source for novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. Five compounds were isolated from the extract by activity-guided screening, and their inhibitory activities against butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), monoamine oxidases (MAOs), and β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1) were also evaluated. Of these compounds, 4′-O-(α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-3,3′,4-tri-O-methylellagic acid (3) and 3,3′,4-tri-O-methylellagic acid (4) effectively inhibited AChE with IC50 values of 10.1 and 10.7 µM, respectively. Ellagic acid (5) inhibited AChE (IC50 = 41.7 µM) less than 3 and 4. In addition, 3 effectively inhibited MAO-B (IC50 = 7.27 µM) followed by 5 (IC50 = 9.21 µM). All five compounds weakly inhibited BChE and BACE-1. Compounds 3, 4, and 5 reversibly and competitively inhibited AChE, and were slightly or non-toxic to MDCK cells. The binding energies of 3 and 4 (− 8.5 and − 9.2 kcal/mol, respectively) for AChE were greater than that of 5 (− 8.3 kcal/mol), and 3 and 4 formed a hydrogen bond with Tyr124 in AChE. These results suggest 3 is a dual-targeting inhibitor of AChE and MAO-B, and that these compounds should be viewed as potential therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Triterpene Galloyl Esters from Edible Acorn of Castanopsis Cuspidata

Polyphenols of edible acorns of Castanopsis cuspidata were examined and two triterpene galloyl esters were isolated. Based on two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic evidence the structures were determined to be 3,24-di- O-galloyl-2α,3β-23,24-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (1) and 3,24-di- O-galloyl-2α,3β-23,24-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (2). The triterpene hexahydroxydiphenoyl esters, which had been found in the leaves, were not detected in the acoms.