Chemical and morphological characterization of Allium tuncelianum (Amaryllidaceae) and its antioxidant and anticholinesterase potentials

Alzheimer’s disease is the main reason for dementia, which increases with age. Cholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant potentials of extracts and essential oils from bulbs of A. tuncelianum (Kollmann) Özhatay & al., an endemic species to Tunceli (easthern Turkey), were evaluated. The fraction extracted of ethyl acetate had the highest phenolics level, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, and thiobarbituric acid antioxidant capacity. Also, the ethyl acetate fraction presented the highest acetylcholinesterase (15.98 ± 2.76%), and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (47.33 ± 3.27%). Diallyl disulfide (49.8%), diallyl trisulfide (27.9%) and allyl methyl trisulfide (6.9%) were found to be the major components of essential oil. This paper shows that the ethyl acetate fraction of A. tuncelianum could be a potent source of antioxidant and anticholinesterase components.