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The rising geriatric population is expected to increase the demand for drugs treating neurodegenerative diseases. The present work is aimed to discover acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors from Cissampelos pareira Linn. aerial parts (Family: Menispermaceae). Bioassay-guided isolation, AChE inhibition study and estimation of the therapeutic marker in different parts of raw herbs were conducted. The structure of the compound (1) was elucidated as N-methylneolitsine by using NMR (1D and 2D) and ESI-MS/MS spectral data, which is a new natural analogue of neolitsine. It showed good AChE inhibition with an IC50 value of 12.32 µg/mL. It was densitometrically estimated to be 0.074 − 0.33% in aerial parts of C. pareira, collected from various locations. The alkaloid reported here could be potentially useful for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases and the aerial part of C. pareira could be used as a promising ingredient for various preparations treating neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present isolation and identification of napthoquinones from roots of Arnebia nobilis Reichb.f. can lead to the discovery of new anti-skin ageing ingredient in colour cosmetics. Four compounds have been isolated and purified by rigorous column chromatography. The compounds are identified as β, β-dimethylacryl alkannin (AN-I), acetoxyisovaleryl alkannin (AAN-II), acetyl alkannin (AN-III) and alkannin (AN-IV) by interpretation of spectroscopic data. This study is the first to report the isolation of Acetoxyisovaleryl alkannin (AAN-II) from A. nobilis. The IC50 values of the compounds, determined in human skin cells (human dermal fibroblasts and human keratinocytes) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3T3) varied significantly among the four alkannins. Among the four compounds, β-acetoxyisovaleryl alkannin (AAN-II) significantly inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced red blood corpuscle haemolysis and cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts. Collagen-I, elastin and involucrin syntheses in human dermal fibroblasts or keratinocytes were up regulated by AAN-II. These results support the potential utility of alkannins as novel anti-ageing ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]