Selective in vitro and in silico butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of diterpenes and rosmarinic acid isolated from Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth. and Salvia glutinosa L

Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Salvia glutinosa and comparison with the tanshinone profile of danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)

The roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza are the source of the traditional Chinese medicine danshen and the class of tanshinones, particular quinoid nor-diterpenoids of the abietane type. Of these compounds, cryptotanshinone, dihydrotanshinone I, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA, have been extensively studied for their anticancer potential, not only but as well because of their high abundance in S. miltiorrhiza and their thus easy availability. However, also additional Salvia species are known to contain tanshinones, mainly such of the subgenus Glutinaria, of which S. glutinosa is the only species widely occurring in Europe. Using UHPLC-DAD-MS, the tanshinone profile of S. glutinosa roots collected from two different locations was compared to the profile in S. miltiorrhiza roots. In addition, tanshinone IIA and another six diterpenoids from S. glutinosa were investigated for their antiproliferative and cytotoxic potential against MDA-MB-231 and HL-60 cells. Apart from dihydrotanshinone I, which has been previously characterized due to its anticancer properties, we determined danshenol A as a highly antiproliferative and cytotoxic agent, significantly surpassing the effects of dihydrotanshinone I. With regard to the diterpenoid profile, S. miltiorrhiza showed a higher concentration for most of the tanshinones, except for (+)-danshexinkun A, which was present in comparable amounts in both species. Danshenol A, in contrast, was only present in S. glutinosa as were dehydroabietic acid and (+)-pisiferic acid. The results of our study underlines the long traditional use of danshen due to its high amount on tanshinones, but also demonstrates the potential value of investigating closely related species for the discovery of new biologically active lead compounds.

Development of Potential Multi-Target Inhibitors for Human Cholinesterases and Beta-Secretase 1: A Computational Approach

Alzheimer's disease causes chronic neurodegeneration and is the leading cause of dementia in the world. The causes of this disease are not fully understood but seem to involve two essential cerebral pathways: cholinergic and amyloid. The simultaneous inhibition of AChE, BuChE, and BACE-1, essential enzymes involved in those pathways, is a promising therapeutic approach to treat the symptoms and, hopefully, also halt the disease progression. This study sought to identify triple enzymatic inhibitors based on stereo-electronic requirements deduced from molecular modeling of AChE, BuChE, and BACE-1 active sites. A pharmacophore model was built, displaying four hydrophobic centers, three hydrogen bond acceptors, and one positively charged nitrogen, and used to prioritize molecules found in virtual libraries. Compounds showing adequate overlapping rates with the pharmacophore were subjected to molecular docking against the three enzymes and those with an adequate docking score (n = 12) were evaluated for physicochemical and toxicological parameters and commercial availability. The structure exhibiting the greatest inhibitory potential against all three enzymes was subjected to molecular dynamics simulations (100 ns) to assess the stability of the inhibitor-enzyme systems. The results of this in silico approach indicate ZINC1733 can be a potential multi-target inhibitor of AChE, BuChE, and BACE-1, and future enzymatic assays are planned to validate those results.

Identification of Potential Multitarget Compounds against Alzheimer's Disease through Pharmacophore-Based Virtual Screening

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of cognitive functions, and it is the most prevalent type of dementia worldwide, accounting for 60 to 70% of cases. The pathogenesis of AD seems to involve three main factors: deficiency in cholinergic transmission, formation of extracellular deposits of β-amyloid peptide, and accumulation of deposits of a phosphorylated form of the TAU protein. The currently available drugs are prescribed for symptomatic treatment and present adverse effects such as hepatotoxicity, hypertension, and weight loss. There is urgency in finding new drugs capable of preventing the progress of the disease, controlling the symptoms, and increasing the survival of patients with AD. This study aims to present new multipurpose compounds capable of simultaneously inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)-responsible for recycling acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft-and beta-secretase 1 (BACE-1)-responsible for the generation of amyloid-β plaques. AChE, BChE, and BACE-1 are currently considered the best targets for the treatment of patients with AD. Virtual hierarchical screening based on a pharmacophoric model for BACE-1 inhibitors and a dual pharmacophoric model for AChE and BChE inhibitors were used to filter 214,446 molecules by QFITBACE > 0 and QFITDUAL > 56.34. The molecules selected in this first round were subjected to molecular docking studies with the three targets and further evaluated for their physicochemical and toxicological properties. Three structures: ZINC45068352, ZINC03873986, and ZINC71787288 were selected as good fits for the pharmacophore models, with ZINC03873986 being ultimately prioritized for validation through activity testing and synthesis of derivatives for SAR studies.

Application of Rosmarinic Acid with Its Derivatives in the Treatment of Microbial Pathogens

The emergence of the antimicrobial resistance phenomena on and the harmful consequences of the use of antibiotics motivate the necessity of innovative antimicrobial therapies, while natural substances are considered a promising alternative. Rosmarin is an original plant compound listed among the hydroxycinnamic acids. This substance has been widely used to fight microbial pathology and chronic infections from microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses. Also, various derivatives of rosmarinic acid, such as the propyl ester of rosmarinic acid, rosmarinic acid methyl ester or the hexyl ester of rosmarinic acid, have been synthesized chemically, which have been isolated as natural antimicrobial agents. Rosmarinic acid and its derivatives were combined with antibiotics to obtain a synergistic effect. This review reports on the antimicrobial effects of rosmarinic acid and its associated derivatives, both in their free form and in combination with other microbial pathogens, and mechanisms of action.

Anti-inflammatory Activity of Tanshinone-Related Diterpenes from Perovskia artemisioides Roots

Perovskia artemisioides is a perennial and aromatic plant widely distributed in the Baluchestan region of Iran. Phytochemical analysis of a n-hexane extract of P. artemisioides roots, guided by an analytical approach based on LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS/MS, yielded six previously undescribed diterpenoid compounds (2, 9-11, 16, and 20), and 19 known diterpenoids, for which the structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Some of the isolated compounds showed significant anti-inflammatory activity using J774A.1 macrophage cells stimulated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. In particular, compounds 6, 8, 17, 18, 20, and 22 significantly inhibited the release of nitric oxide and the expression of related pro-inflammatory enzymes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase and cycloxygenase-2. Moreover, two compounds that showed the highest activity in reducing nitric oxide release (6 and 18) were tested to evaluate their effects on nitrotyrosine formation and reactive oxygen species release. Both compounds inhibited ROS release and, in particular, compound 6 also inhibited nitrotyrosine formation at all tested concentrations, thus indicating a significant antioxidant potential.

Identification of a Novel Dual Inhibitor of Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase: In Vitro and In Silico Studies

The enhancement of cholinergic functions via acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition is considered a valuable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of ZINC390718, previously filtered using computational approaches, on both cholinesterases and to characterize, using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, the possible binding mode of this compound inside the cholinesterase enzymes. The in vitro cytotoxicity effect was also investigated using a primary astrocyte-enriched glial cell culture. ZINC390718 presented in vitro dual inhibitory activity against AChE at a high micromolar range (IC₅₀ = 543.8 µM) and against BuChE (IC₅₀ = 241.1 µM) in a concentration-dependent manner, with greater activity against BuChE. The MD simulation revealed that ZINC390718 performed important hydrophobic and H-bond interactions with the catalytic residue sites on both targets. The residues that promoted the hydrophobic interactions and H-bonding in the AChE target were Leu67, Trp86, Phe123, Tyr124, Ser293, Phe295, and Tyr341, and on the BuChE target, they were Asp70, Tyr332, Tyr128, Ile442, Trp82, and Glu197. The cytotoxic effect of Z390718, evaluated via cell viability, showed that the molecule has low in vitro toxicity. The in vitro and in silico results indicate that ZINC390718 can be used as chemotype for the optimization and identification of new dual cholinesterase inhibitors.

A Comprehensive Review of Rosmarinic Acid: From Phytochemistry to Pharmacology and Its New Insight

Polyphenolic acids are the widely occurring natural products in almost each herbal plant, among which rosmarinic acid (RA, C18H16O8) is well-known, and is present in over 160 species belonging to many families, especially the Lamiaceae. Aside from this herbal ingredient, dozens of its natural derivatives have also been isolated and characterized from many natural plants. In recent years, with the increasing focus on the natural products as alternative treatments, a large number of pharmacological studies have been carried out to demonstrate the various biological activities of RA such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-virus, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. In addition, investigations concerning its biosynthesis, extraction, analysis, clinical applications, and pharmacokinetics have also been performed. Although many achievements have been made in various research aspects, there still exist some problems or issues to be answered, especially its toxicity and bioavailability. Thus, we hope that in the case of natural products, the present review can not only provide a comprehensive understanding on RA covering its miscellaneous research fields, but also highlight some of the present issues and future perspectives worth investigating later, in order to help us utilize this polyphenolic acid more efficiently, widely, and safely.

Molecular Mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge in Treating Cerebral Infarction

Background

Cerebral infarction (CI) is a common brain disease in clinical practice, which is mainly due to the pathological environment of ischemia and hypoxia caused by difficult cerebral circulation perfusion function, resulting in ischemic necrosis of local brain tissue and neurological impairment. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, CI is mainly due to blood stasis in the brain. Therefore, blood-activating and stasis-dissipating drugs are often used to treat CI in clinical practice. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SMB) is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine with good efficacy in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and treatment of CI with it is a feasible strategy. Based on the above analysis, we chose network pharmacology to investigate the feasibility of SMB in the treatment of CI and to study the possible molecular mechanisms by providing some reference for the treatment of CI with TCM.

Methods

The active ingredients and related targets of SMB were obtained through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database, and CI-related targets were obtained from the GeneCards and DisGeNET databases. The target of SMB for the treatment of CI was obtained using Cytoscape software and visualized. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis was performed based on “clusterProfiler” within R, and the prediction results were validated by molecular docking technique.

Results

By constructing a compound-target (C-T) network, it was found that the active components in SMB mainly treated CI by regulating key proteins such as AKT1, IL-6, and EGFR. These key proteins mainly involve in pathways such as immune regulation, cancer and lipid metabolism, such as lipid and atherosclerosis, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation pathways, and IL-17 signaling pathway. In the GO term, it mainly regulates the response to steroid hormones, membrane rafts, and G protein-amine receptor coupled activity. Eventually, we verified that the luteolin and tanshinone IIA components in SMB have a good possibility of action with AKT1 and IL-6 by in silico techniques, indicating that SMB has some scientificity in the treatment of CI.

Conclusion

SMB mainly treats CI by regulating 94 proteins involved in lipid and atherosclerosis, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, and IL-17 signaling pathway. Our research strategy provided a template for the drug development of TCM for the treatment of CI.

Plant Terpenoids as the Promising Source of Cholinesterase Inhibitors for Anti-AD Therapy

Simple Summary

Plant-derived terpenes have been a research interest in the recent years, as they are believed to possess the ability to function as a cholinesterase inhibitor. As the deficit of cholinergic activity is one of the factors that causes cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease patients, it serves as a great therapeutic target. It has been found that various terpenoids, such as diterpenoids, triterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, do have the ability to inhibit cholinesterase activity, and their chemical structures do play a role in this. As terpenoids possess anti-cholinesterase properties, it is encouraged to have future research on drug discovery and development in treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Abstract

Plant-derived terpenes are the prolific source of modern drugs such as taxol, chloroquine and artemisinin, which are widely used to treat cancer and malaria infections. There are research interests in recent years on terpene-derived metabolites (diterpenes, triterpenes and sesquiterpenes), which are believed to serve as excellent cholinesterase inhibitors. As cholinesterase inhibitors are the current treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, terpene-derived metabolites will have the potential to be involved in the future drug development for Alzheimer’s disease. Hence, a bibliographic search was conducted by using the keywords “terpene”, “cholinesterase” and “Alzheimer’s disease”, along with cross-referencing from 2011 to 2020, to provide an overview of natural terpenes with potential anticholinesterase properties. This review focuses on the extraction, chemical structures and anti-cholinesterase mechanisms of terpenes, which support and encourage future research on drug discovery and development in treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Acer truncatum Bunge: A comprehensive review on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Acer truncatum Bunge is a multifunctional plant in northern China. It has traditionally been used to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and treat skin trauma by different linguistic groups including Mongolian, Tibetan, and Korean. Although research has verified that A. truncatum contains a variety of active ingredients, especially nervonic acid, an important component in delaying brain aging, to date no review has been made to compile its traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacology.

AIMS OF THE REVIEW

This review aimed to update the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of A. truncatum, which expect to provide theoretical support for the future utilization as well as highlight the further investigation of this important plant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ethnobotanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological information related to A. truncatum from 1949 to March 2021 were collated by surveying the traditional medicinal books and ethnomedicinal publications and searching the online databases including Google Scholar, Sci Finder, Web of Science, Springer Link, PubMed, Wiley, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Baidu Scholar, and Wan Fang Database.

RESULTS

A. truncatum has traditionally been used for medicinal, edible and ornamental purposes in northern China for many centuries. Different parts of the plant including leaves, fruits and bark, are mainly used as herbal medicine to treat hyperpiesia, hyperlipidemia, bruises, back pain, etc. A total of 288 compounds in A. truncatum, including polyphenols, organic acids or lipids, and biological volatile organic compounds were isolated or identified by phytochemical studies. Pharmacological research showed that A. truncatum has various bioactivities such as acetylcholinesterase inhibition, antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, and fatty acid synthase inhibition effects.

CONCLUSION

A. truncatum has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for centuries in northern China. Polyphenols, organic acids, lipids and other compounds were isolated or identified from different parts of the plant. Most of the pharmacological activities of A. truncatum have been reported, which showed its potential in the development of new drugs or nutraceuticals. However, detailed information on the molecular mechanisms, metabolic activity, and toxicology of active components is limited. Further comprehensive research to evaluate the medicinal properties of A. truncatum will be necessary.

Phenolic acids and flavonoids-rich Glechoma hederacea L. (Lamiaceae) water extract against H2 O2 -induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress is reportedly associated with progressive neuronal cell damage. Glechoma hederacea L. (Lamiaceae), belonging to the Labiatae family, has demonstrated several biologic activities including depigmentation, antimelanogenic, antitumor, antioxidative, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities. Previously, we reported that rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, genistin, and ferulic acids were the most abundant phytochemicals detected in hot water extracts of G. hederacea L. (HWG). This study aimed to study the neuroprotective effects of phenolic acids and flavonoid-rich HWG against hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ )-induced oxidative damage in PC12 cells and its inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The experiment analyzed cytotoxicity, ROS production, mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MMP) level, and caspase-3 activity and used comet assay and antioxidant enzyme activity to determine the redox status of PC12 cells. Results showed that the inhibitory effect of HWG on AChE was in a competitive pattern (IC₅₀ , 23.23 mg/ml). HWG antagonized H₂ O₂ -mediated cytotoxicity and DNA damage, reduced ROS production, stabilized MMP, and inhibited caspase-3 activity and apoptosis. Furthermore, HWG inhibited the release of cytochrome C and apoptosis-inducing factors (AIF) and decreased the malondialdehyde levels in PC12 cells. Collectively, HWG rich in antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoids may have neuroprotective effects. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Polyphenolic compounds are one of the most important natural products, known to possess a range of health-promoting effects. In this study, it was found that HWG, which is rich in antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoids, can protect PC12 cells from oxidative stress induced by H₂ O₂ and may have neuroprotective effects.

Infusion of aerial parts of Salvia chudaei Batt. & Trab. from Algeria: Chemical, toxicological and bioactivities characterization

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia chudaei Batt. & Trab. from Algeria is traditionally used to relieve several dysfunctions, including inflammatory and pain-related situations.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This work aimed to confirm scientifically the referred properties. For that, the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity were evaluated as well as acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of different doses of the infusion of S. chudaei aerial parts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Infusion of aerial parts of S. chudaei was prepared and screened for phenolic composition by generalized methods TPC and TFC then by LC-DAD-ESI/MSn. DPPH and FRAP were used to evaluate antioxidant activity. Using mice, acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory by carrageenan-induced paw edema, and analgesic by acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin-induced pain activities were tested.

RESULTS

The infusion showed 2018 mg GAE/100g DW of phenolics and 1956 mg ECE/100g DW of flavonoids. Phenolic profile by LC-DAD-ESI/MSn revealed the presence of ten compounds: syringic acid hexoside derivative, kaempferol-O-diglucuronide, kaempferol-O-deoxyhexoside-hexoside, kaempferol-O-glucuronide, apigenin-O-diglucuronide, caffeic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, eriodictyol-O-glucuronide, rosmarinic acid hexoside, and rosmarinic acid. This acid was the major compound representing 54% of the total content of the identified compounds and an absolute content of 18 mg/g of extract. Additionally, the infusion exhibited a good antioxidant activity (DPPH: 81 μmol TE/g DW, FRAP: 438 μmol FSE/g DW). By oral administration to mice, the infusion showed a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent reduction of carrageenan-induced inflammation and inhibition of formalin-induced pain (late and early phase) and acetic acid-induced writhing compared with the control. On the other hand, infusion up to 8 g/kg b.w. showed no signs of toxicity or mortality.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals, for the first time, that the infusion of the aerial parts of S. chudaei is not toxic in a single dose and has remarkable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities, supporting the use of this species in folk medicine.

Non-Alkaloid Cholinesterase Inhibitory Compounds from Natural Sources

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder of different brain regions accompanied by distresses and affecting more than 25 million people in the world. This progressive brain deterioration affects the central nervous system and has negative impacts on a patient's daily activities such as memory impairment. The most important challenge concerning AD is the development of new drugs for long-term treatment or prevention, with lesser side effects and greater efficiency as cholinesterases inhibitors and the ability to remove amyloid-beta(Aβ) deposits and other related AD neuropathologies. Natural sources provide promising alternatives to synthetic cholinesterase inhibitors and many have been reported for alkaloids while neglecting other classes with potential cholinesterase inhibition. This review summarizes information about the therapeutic potential of small natural molecules from medicinal herbs, belonging to terpenoids, coumarins, and phenolic compounds, and others, which have gained special attention due to their specific modes of action and their advantages of low toxicity and high efficiency in the treatment of AD. Some show superior drug-like features in comparison to synthetic cholinesterase inhibitors. We expect that the listed phytoconstituents in this review will serve as promising tools and chemical scaffolds for the discovery of new potent therapeutic leads for the amelioration and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition by Major Tanshinones from Salvia miltiorrhiza and Selective Muscarinic Acetylcholine M4 Receptor Antagonism by Tanshinone I

Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are considered important therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease (PD). Lipophilic tanshinones are major phytoconstituents in the dried roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza that have demonstrated neuroprotective effects against dopaminergic neurotoxins and the inhibition of MAO-A. Since MAO-B inhibition is considered an effective therapeutic strategy for PD, we tested the inhibitory activities of three abundant tanshinone congeners against recombinant human MAO (hMAO) isoenzymes through in vitro experiments. In our study, tanshinone I (1) exhibited the highest potency against hMAO-A, followed by tanshinone IIA and cryptotanshinone, with an IC50 less than 10 µM. They also suppressed hMAO-B activity, with an IC50 below 25 µM. Although tanshinones are known to inhibit hMAO-A, their enzyme inhibition mechanism and binding sites have yet to be investigated. Enzyme kinetics and molecular docking studies have revealed the mode of inhibition and interactions of tanshinones during enzyme inhibition. Proteochemometric modeling predicted mAChRs as possible pharmacological targets of 1, and in vitro functional assays confirmed the selective M4 antagonist nature of 1 (56.1% ± 2.40% inhibition of control agonist response at 100 µM). These findings indicate that 1 is a potential therapeutic molecule for managing the motor dysfunction and depression associated with PD.

Potential therapeutic natural products against Alzheimer's disease with Reference of Acetylcholinesterase

Alzheimer's disease (AD), is the most common type of dementia primarily affecting the later years of life. Its prevalence is likely to increase in any aging population and will be a major burden on healthcare system by the mid of the century. Despite scientific and technological breakthroughs in the last 50 years, that have expanded our understanding of the disease on a system, cellular and molecular level, therapies that could stop or slow the progression of the disease are still unavailable. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has approved acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors (donepezil, galantamine, tacrine and rivastigmine) and glutamate receptor antagonist (memantine) for the treatment of AD. In this review we summarize the studies reporting phytocompounds and extracts from medicinal plants that show AChE inhibitory activities and could be of potential benefit in AD. Future research directions are suggested and recommendations made to expand the use of medicinal plants and their formulations to prevent, mitigate and treat AD.

Outlining In Vitro and In Silico Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activity of Twenty-Four Natural Products of Various Chemical Classes: Smilagenin, Kokusaginine, and Methyl Rosmarinate as Emboldening Inhibitors

Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition is an important treatment strategy for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) are involved in the pathology of AD. In the current work, ChE inhibitory potential of twenty-four natural products from different chemical classes (i.e., diosgenin, hecogenin, rockogenin, smilagenin, tigogenin, astrasieversianins II and X, astragalosides I, IV, and VI, cyclocanthosides E and G, macrophyllosaponins A-D, kokusaginin, lamiide, forsythoside B, verbascoside, alyssonoside, ipolamide, methyl rosmarinate, and luteolin-7-O-glucuronide) was examined using ELISA microtiter assay. Among them, only smilagenin and kokusaginine displayed inhibitory action against AChE (IC₅₀ = 43.29 ± 1.38 and 70.24 ± 2.87 µg/mL, respectively). BChE was inhibited by only methyl rosmarinate and kokusaginine (IC₅₀ = 41.46 ± 2.83 and 61.40 ± 3.67 µg/mL, respectively). IC₅₀ values for galantamine as the reference drug were 1.33 ± 0.11 µg/mL for AChE and 52.31 ± 3.04 µg/mL for BChE. Molecular docking experiments showed that the orientation of smilagenin and kokusaginine was mainly driven by the interactions with the peripheral anionic site (PAS) comprising residues of hAChE, while kokusaginine and methyl rosmarinate were able to access deeper into the active gorge in hBChE. Our data indicate that similagenin, kokusaginine, and methyl rosmarinate could be hit compounds for designing novel anti-Alzheimer agents.

Terpenoid Constituents of Perovskia artemisioides Aerial Parts with Inhibitory Effects on Bacterial Biofilm Growth

Perovskia artemisioides is a perennial and aromatic plant distributed in the Baluchestan region of Iran. In the present work, an n-hexane extract of P. artemisioides aerial parts showed excellent capabilities to both inhibit the formation of biofilms by different Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens and block the cell metabolism within microbial biofilms. To correlate the activity of the extract with the biologically active compounds present, first an analytical approach based on LC-HRMS/MSⁿ was carried out. The metabolite profile obtained guided the isolation of 21 compounds, among which two sesquiterpenes (8 and 9) and one diterpene (10) were found to be new. The antimicrobial activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated by determining how they were able not only to reduce the growth of different Gram-positive and Gram-negative human bacteria and phytopathogens but also to inhibit the formation of biofilms by these bacteria and affect the metabolism of microbial cells present within the biofilms. With the aim of correlating the activity exhibited by the extract with the concentration levels of the constituent compounds, a quantitative determination was carried out by an analytical approach based on LC-ESI/QTrap/MS.

Metabolomics and DNA-Based Authentication of Two Traditional Asian Medicinal and Aromatic Species of Salvia subg. Perovskia

Subgenus Perovskia of the extended genus of Salvia comprises several Central Asian medicinal and aromatic species, of which S. yangii and S. abrotanoides are the most widespread. These plants are cultivated in Europe as robust ornamentals, and several cultivars are available. However, their medicinal potential remains underutilized because of limited information about their phytochemical and genetic diversity. Thus, we combined an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) based metabolomics with DNA barcoding approach based on trnH-psbA and ITS2 barcodes to clarify the relationships between these two taxa. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that aerial parts are more similar than roots and none of the major compounds stand out as distinct. Sugiol in S. yangii leaves and carnosic acid quinone in S. abrotanoides were mostly responsible for their chemical differentiation, whereas in roots the distinction was supported by the presence of five norditerpenoids in S. yangii and two flavonoids and one norditerpenoid in S. abrotanoides. To verify the metabolomics-based differentiation, we performed DNA authentication that revealed S. yangii and S. abrotanoides to be very closely related but separate species. We demonstrated that DNA barcoding coupled with parallel LC-MS profiling constitutes a powerful tool in identification of taxonomically close Salvia species.

Combined Structure and Ligand-Based Design of Selective Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

Acetylcholinesterase is a prime target for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's disease. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) are used to improve cognitive abilities, playing therefore an important role in disease management. Drug repurposing screening has been performed on a corporate chemical library containing 11 353 compounds using a target fishing approach comprising three-dimensional (3D) shape similarity and pharmacophore modeling against an approved drug database, Drugbank. This initial screening identified 108 hits. Among them, eight molecules showed structural similarity to the known AChEI drug, pyridostigmine. Further structure-based screening using a pharmacophore-guided rescoring method identifies one more potential hit. Experimental evaluations of the identified hits sieve out a highly selective AChEI scaffold. Further lead optimization using a substructure search approach identifies 24 new potential hits. Three of the 24 compounds (compounds 10b, 10h, and 10i) based on a 6-(2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyrimidin-4-yl)-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine scaffold showed highly promising AChE inhibition ability with IC₅₀ values of 13.10 ± 0.53, 16.02 ± 0.46, and 6.22 ± 0.54 μM, respectively. Moreover, these compounds are highly selective toward AChE. Compound 10i shows AChE inhibitory activity similar to a known Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug, galantamine, but with even better selectivity. Interaction analysis reveals that hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions are the primary driving forces responsible for the observed high affinity of the compound with AChE.

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of synthesised tanshinone I and isotanshinone I analogues in zebrafish

During inflammation, dysregulated neutrophil behaviour can play a major role in a range of chronic inflammatory diseases, for many of which current treatments are generally ineffective. Recently, specific naturally occurring tanshinones have shown promising anti-inflammatory effects by targeting neutrophils in vivo, yet such tanshinones, and moreover, their isomeric isotanshinone counterparts, are still a largely underexplored class of compounds, both in terms of synthesis and biological effects. To explore the anti-inflammatory effects of isotanshinones, and the tanshinones more generally, a series of substituted tanshinone and isotanshinone analogues was synthesised, alongside other structurally similar molecules. Evaluation of these using a transgenic zebrafish model of neutrophilic inflammation revealed differential anti-inflammatory profiles in vivo, with a number of compounds exhibiting promising effects. Several compounds reduce initial neutrophil recruitment and/or promote resolution of neutrophilic inflammation, of which two also result in increased apoptosis of human neutrophils. In particular, the methoxy-substituted tanshinone 39 specifically accelerates resolution of inflammation without affecting the recruitment of neutrophils to inflammatory sites, making this a particularly attractive candidate for potential pro-resolution therapeutics, as well as a possible lead for future development of functionalised tanshinones as molecular tools and/or chemical probes. The structurally related β-lapachones promote neutrophil recruitment but do not affect resolution. We also observed notable differences in toxicity profiles between compound classes. Overall, we provide new insights into the in vivo anti-inflammatory activities of several novel tanshinones, isotanshinones, and structurally related compounds.

Norditerpenoids with Selective Anti-Cholinesterase Activity from the Roots of Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth

Inhibition of cholinesterases remains one of a few available treatment strategies for neurodegenerative dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions. The current study was inspired by previous data on anticholinesterase properties of diterpenoids from Perovskia atriplicifolia and other Lamiaceae species. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition by the three new natural compounds—(1R,15R)-1-acetoxycryptotanshinone (1), (1R)-1-acetoxytanshinone IIA (2), and (15R)-1-oxoaegyptinone A (3)—as well as, new for this genus, isograndifoliol (4) were assessed. Three of these compounds exhibited profound inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and much weaker inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). All compounds (1–4) selectively inhibited BChE (IC₅₀ = 2.4, 7.9, 50.8, and 0.9 µM, respectively), whereas only compounds 3 and 4 moderately inhibited AChE (IC₅₀ 329.8 µM and 342.9 µM). Molecular docking and in silico toxicology prediction studies were also performed on the active compounds. Natural oxygenated norditerpenoids from the traditional Central Asian medicinal plant P. atriplicifolia are selective BChE inhibitors. Their high potential makes them useful candidate molecules for further investigation as lead compounds in the development of a natural drug against dementia caused by neurodegenerative diseases.

Tunable luminescence of a synthesized furophenanthraquinone derivative: interactions with different solvents

The synthesis is described of a luminescent furophenanthraquinone derivative, 9-methoxyphenanthro[4,3-b]furan-4,5-dione (MPFD). The biological importance of tetracyclic furophenanthraquinones was considered and the tunable luminescence of MPFD in different solvents was studied to explore the nature of the specific interactions between MPFD and solvents. Observation of dual emission bands and identical nature of the fluorescence excitation spectra of MPFD monitored at the emission wavelength in polar solvents indicated the formation of two different types of species in the excited state, probably due to proton transfer from the solvent to MPFD. Luminescence intensity due to anionic species was found to be increased and the corresponding peak was red shifted with increase in the proton-donating ability of the solvents, acting as an acid with respect to MPFD. Availability of more acidic protons in the solvent facilitated this phenomenon occurring in the excited state. MPFD also interacted with halogen-containing solvents by forming electron donor-acceptor charge transfer (CT) complexes. This CT complex formation was dependent on the number of chlorine atoms; the position of the corresponding luminescence band varied with the polarity of the solvent. Extent of the CT increased with increase in the number of chlorine atoms in the dichloro, trichloro and tetrachloro solvents, whereas the luminescence peak due to the CT complex was found to be blue shifted with decrease in solvent polarity. Interaction of the synthesized bioactive MPFD with different solvents deserves biological importance as proton transfer and CT play pivotal roles in biology.

Integrative countercurrent chromatography for the target isolation of lysine-specific demethylase 1 inhibitors from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza

The ability to separate bioactive compounds from herbal medicines, which contain abundant components, is crucial for drug discovery. Conventional Countercurrent chromatography (CCC) methods for separating bioactive compounds are labor intensive and show low efficiency. Here, we present a novel integrative CCC method for separating lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) inhibitors from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (RSM). The methanol extracts of RSM were separated into hydrosoluble and liposoluble fractions, which were online stored in coils. Subsequently, the targeting LSD1 constituents were isolated using isocratic, gradient, or recycling elution mode. All separation processes could be accomplished using one CCC apparatus. Using our separation strategy, two phenylpropanoids and four tanshinones were isolated, which were determined to be new classes of natural LSD1 inhibitors. Salvianolic acid B, which showed the most potent inhibitory activity with an IC50 of 0.11 μM, exhibiting a considerable potential as an anticancer agent. Promisingly, the integrative CCC could be a crucial tool for the target separation of enzyme inhibitors from herbal medicines.

Potential Therapeutic Approaches to Alzheimer's Disease By Bioinformatics, Cheminformatics And Predicted Adme-Tox Tools

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered a severe, irreversible and progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Currently, the pharmacological management of AD is based on a few clinically approved acethylcholinesterase (AChE) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor ligands, with unclear molecular mechanisms and severe side effects.

METHODS

Here, we reviewed the most recent bioinformatics, cheminformatics (SAR, drug design, molecular docking, friendly databases, ADME-Tox) and experimental data on relevant structurebiological activity relationships and molecular mechanisms of some natural and synthetic compounds with possible anti-AD effects (inhibitors of AChE, NMDA receptors, beta-secretase, amyloid beta (Aβ), redox metals) or acting on multiple AD targets at once. We considered: (i) in silico supported by experimental studies regarding the pharmacological potential of natural compounds as resveratrol, natural alkaloids, flavonoids isolated from various plants and donepezil, galantamine, rivastagmine and memantine derivatives, (ii) the most important pharmacokinetic descriptors of natural compounds in comparison with donepezil, memantine and galantamine.

RESULTS

In silico and experimental methods applied to synthetic compounds led to the identification of new AChE inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, multipotent hybrids targeting different AD processes and metal-organic compounds acting as Aβ inhibitors. Natural compounds appear as multipotent agents, acting on several AD pathways: cholinesterases, NMDA receptors, secretases or Aβ, but their efficiency in vivo and their correct dosage should be determined.

CONCLUSION

Bioinformatics, cheminformatics and ADME-Tox methods can be very helpful in the quest for an effective anti-AD treatment, allowing the identification of novel drugs, enhancing the druggability of molecular targets and providing a deeper understanding of AD pathological mechanisms.

Tanshinone IIA ameliorates cognitive deficits by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis in APP/PS1 transgenic mice

Our previous data indicated that tanshinone IIA (tan IIA) improves learning and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by streptozotocin via restoring cholinergic function, attenuating oxidative stress and blocking p38 MAPK signal pathway activation. This study aims to estimate whether tan IIA inhibits endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis to prevent cognitive decline in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Tan IIA (10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to the six-month-old APP/PS1 mice for 30 consecutive days. β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques were measured by immunohistochemisty and Thioflavin S staining, apoptotic cells were observed by TUNEL, ER stress markers and apoptosis signaling proteins were investigated by western blotting and RT-PCR. Our results showed that tan IIA significantly ameliorates cognitive deficits and improves spatial learning ability of APP/PS1 mice in the nest-building test, novel object recognition test and Morris water maze test. Furthermore, tan IIA significantly reduced the deposition of Aβ plaques and neuronal apoptosis, and markedly prevented abnormal expression of glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), as well as suppressed the activation of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways in the parietal cortex and hippocampus. Moreover, tan IIA induced an up-regulation of the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and down-regulation of caspase-3 protein activity. Taken together, the above findings indicated that tan IIA improves learning and memory through attenuating Aβ plaques deposition and inhibiting ER stress-induced apoptosis. These results suggested that tan IIA might become a promising therapeutic candidate drug against AD.

Pharmacological activities of dihydrotanshinone I, a natural product from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), a famous traditional Chinese herb, has been used clinically for the treatment of various diseases for centuries. Document data showed that tanshinones, a class of lipophilic abietane diterpenes rich in this herb, possess multiple biological effects in vitro and in vivo models. Among which, 15,16-dihydrotanshinone I (DHT) has received much attention in recent years. In this systematical review, we carefully selected, analyzed, and summarized high-quality publications related to pharmacological effects and the underlying mechanisms of DHT. DHT has anti-cancer, cardiovascular protective, anti-inflammation, anti-Alzheimer's disease, and other effects. Furthermore, several molecules such as hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), human antigen R (HuR), acetylcholinesterase (AchE), etc. have been identified as the potential targets for DHT. The diverse pharmacological activities of DHT provide scientific evidence for the local and traditional uses of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. We concluded that DHT might serve as a lead compound for drug discovery in related diseases while further in-depth investigations are still needed.

Understanding the enzyme-ligand complex: insights from all-atom simulations of butyrylcholinesterase inhibition

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) sans inhibitor and in complex with each of 15 dialkyl phenyl phosphate derivatives were conducted to characterize inhibitor binding modes and strengths. Each system was sampled on the 250 ns timescale in explicit ionic solvent, for a total of over 4 μs of simulation time. A K-means algorithm was used to cluster the resulting structures into distinct binding modes, which were further characterized based on atomic-level contacts between inhibitor chemical groups and active site residues. Comparison of experimentally observed inhibition constants (K_I) with the resulting contact tables provides structural explanations for relative binding coefficients and highlights several notable interaction motifs. These include ubiquitous contact between glycines in the oxyanion hole and the inhibitor phosphate group; a sterically driven binding preference for positional isomers that extend aromaticity; a stereochemical binding preference for choline-containing inhibitors, which mimic natural BChE substrates; and the mechanically induced opening of the omega loop region to fully expose the active site gorge in the presence of choline-containing inhibitors. Taken together, these observations can greatly inform future design of BChE inhibitors, and the approach reported herein is generalizable to other enzyme-inhibitor systems and similar complexes that depend on non-covalent molecular recognition.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Diterpenoids of terrestrial origin

This review covers the isolation and chemistry of diterpenoids from terrestrial sources from 2017.

Natural Peptides in Drug Discovery Targeting Acetylcholinesterase

Acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory peptide has gained much importance since it can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and increase the availability of acetylcholine in cholinergic synapses, enhancing cholinergic transmission in pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Natural peptides have received considerable attention as biologically important substances as a source of AChE inhibitors. These natural peptides have high potential pharmaceutical and medicinal values due to their bioactivities as neuroprotective and neurodegenerative treatment activities. These peptides have attracted great interest in the pharmaceutical industries, in order to design potential peptides for use in the prophylactic and therapy purposes. Some natural peptides and their derivatives have high commercial values and have succeeded in reaching the pharmaceutical market. A large number of peptides are already in preclinical and clinical pipelines for treatment of various diseases. This review highlights the recent researches on the various natural peptides and future prospects for AD management.

Variations in Essential Oil Composition and Antioxidant Activity in Perovskia abrotanoides Kar. Collected from Different Regions in Iran

Essential oil (EO) composition, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity were investigated in 17 P. abrotanoides populations collected from different geographical regions in Iran. The highest (3.61%) and lowest (1.25%) essential oil yields were measured in populations from Semnan Province (PSESM₂ ) and PISKS from Isfahan Province, respectively. GC/MS analysis identified camphor (4.05 - 35.94%), 1,8-cineole (7.15 - 24.34%), borneol (0 - 21.75%), and α-pinene (2.05 - 10.33%) as the main constituents of Perovskia essential oil. Cluster analysis classified the studied populations into four different groups: (I) high camphene, (II) high camphor/1,8-cineole, (III) high borneol/δ-3-carene, and (IV) high α-cadinol/trans-caryophyllene. The highest flavonoid and phenolic contents were detected in PISAK from Isfahan Province (4.09 ± 0.05 mgQE/gDW, 58.51 ± 1.63 mgGAE/gDW) and PKRGS from Khorasan Province (3.80 ± 0.002 mgQE/gDW, 66.86 ± 0.002 mgGAE/gDW). DPPH and reducing power activity model systems identified PMASA and PKRKL as the populations with the highest antioxidant activity. Finally, the data obtained represented valuable information for introducing elite populations with EO components favorable to pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

Computational insights into β-site amyloid precursor protein enzyme 1 (BACE1) inhibition by tanshinones and salvianolic acids from Salvia miltiorrhiza via molecular docking simulations

The rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza has emerged as a rich source of natural therapeutic agents, and its several compounds are supposed to exhibit favorable effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present work investigate the anti-AD potentials of 12 tanshinones, three salvianolic acids and three caffeic acid derivatives from S. miltiorrhiza via the inhibition of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). Among the tested compounds, deoxyneocryptotanshinone (1), salvianolic acid A (13) and salvianolic acid C (15) displayed good inhibitory effect on BACE1 with IC₅₀ values of 11.53 ± 1.13, 13.01 ± 0.32 and 9.18 ± 0.03 μM, respectively. Besides this, enzyme kinetic analysis on BACE1 revealed 13, a competitive type inhibitor while 1 and 15 showed mixed-type inhibition. Furthermore, molecular docking simulation displayed negative binding energies (AutoDock 4.2.6 = -10.0 to -7.1 kcal/mol) of 1, 13, and 15 for BACE1, indicating these compounds bound tightly to the active site of the enzyme with low energy and high affinity. The results of the present study clearly demonstrate that S. miltiorrhiza and its constituents have potential anti-AD activity and can be used as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of AD.

Molecular Pharmacology of Rosmarinic and Salvianolic Acids: Potential Seeds for Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia Drugs

Both caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid (danshensu) are synthesized through two distinct routs of the shikimic acid biosynthesis pathway. In many plants, especially the rosemary and sage family of Lamiaceae, these two compounds are joined through an ester linkage to form rosmarinic acid (RA). A further structural diversity of RA derivatives in some plants such as Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a form of RA dimer, salvianolic acid-B (SA-B), that further give rise to diverse salvianolic acid derivatives. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the chemistry and pharmacology of these compounds related to their potential therapeutic applications to dementia. The two common causes of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and stroke, are employed to scrutinize the effects of these compounds in vitro and in animal models of dementia. Key pharmacological mechanisms beyond the common antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols are highlighted with emphasis given to amyloid beta (Aβ) pathologies among others and neuronal regeneration from stem cells.

Inhibition of Glycation-induced Cytotoxicity, Protein Glycation, and Activity of Proteolytic Enzymes by Extract from Perovskia atriplicifolia Roots

Background:

Protein glycation and glycotoxicity belong to the main oxidative-stress related complications in diabetes. Perovskia species are used in Asian folk medicine as antidiabetic herbs.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to verify the ability of the methanolic extract from Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth. roots to diminish glycation of albumin and to prevent cell damage in vitro. Furthermore, we tested the extract for in vitro antioxidant activity and inhibition of elastase and collagenase.

Material and Methods:

The aqueous methanol extract was analyzed by UHPLC-MS for the content of polyphenols and terpenoids. The prevention of glycated albumin-induced cell damage was tested in four mammalian cell lines (peripheral blood mononuclear cells, human embryonic kidney cells – HEK293, normal human fibroblasts, and Chinese hamster ovary cells) with the 5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4,5-dimethylthiazoly)-3-(4-sulfophenyl) tetrazolium assay.

Results:

Glycated albumin is significantly more toxic than native human serum albumin (LC₅₀ from 35.00 to 48.34 μg/mL vs. 5.47–9.10 μg/mL, respectively). The extract, rich in rosmarinic acid (344.27 mg/g dry mass), mitigated the glycated albumin toxicity, and increased glycated albumin-treated cell survival by more than 50%. The inhibition of advanced glycation endproduct formation was confirmed by monitoring conformational changes. The free radical scavenging activity was higher than Trolox and metal reducing power was one-third to half that of ascorbic acid. The activity of elastase and collagenase was inhibited by 54.75% ± 6.87% and 60.03% ± 7.22%, respectively.

Conclusions:

The results confirm antiglycative and antiglycotoxic potential of Perovskia root and its traditional antidiabetic use. The high activity can be attributed to rosmarinic acid abundance.

SUMMARY

Perovskia is a small genus of aromatic shrubby plants growing in arid regions of Central and South Asia. Different parts are used in folk medicine as antiparasitic, anti-infectious and antidiabetic remedy. Here, we have studied the extract from roots for inhibition of: glycation-induced cytotoxicity, human serum albumin glycation, inflammation-related enzymes, as well as for antioxidant activity. Result: the extract from P. atriplicifolia roots inhibited protein glycation and AGE-induced toxicity in cell cultures. The mechanism is likely to rely on the antioxidant activity of high content of rosmarinic acid.

Abbreviations used: AGE: advanced glycation end-products; DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; HSA: human serum albumin.

Four New Diterpene Glucosides from Perovskia atriplicifolia

Four new diterpene glucosides, namely perovskiaditerpenosides A - D (1 - 4), were isolated from the BuOH extract of Perovskia atriplicifolia. Their structures were well elucidated by chemical methods and comprehensive spectroscopic analyses including MS, IR, and NMR (1D and 2D). The newly isolated compounds were screened for their cytotoxic activity against HepG2, NB4, HeLa, K562, MCF7, PC3, and HL60. The obtained results indicated that the new compounds possessed considerable cytotoxic activity.

Euphorbia denticulata Lam.: A promising source of phyto-pharmaceuticals for the development of novel functional formulations

In this study, Methanolic extracts of Euphorbia denticulata parts (flowers, leaf, stem, and mix of aerial parts) were assessed for a panoply of bioactivities. Inhibitory potential against key enzymes involved in diabetes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase), obesity (pancreatic lipase), neurodegenerative diseases (cholinesterases), and hyperpigmentation (tyrosinase) was evaluated. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties were also assessed. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and phytochemical profile were established using HPLC/DAD and molecular modelling studies on specific target compounds were performed in silico. The flower extract was found to be rich in phenolics and flavonoids, (60.11±1.40mgGAE/g and 42.04±0.16mgRE/g respectively), which tend to correlate with the high radical scavenging activity of this extract (120.34±3.33mgTE/g and 165.42±2.16mgTE/g for DPPH and ABTS respectively). Catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid, p-OH-Benzoic acid, rosmarinic acid, and epigallocatechin gallate, found in significant abundance in the extracts were assessed using molecular modelling with the aim to study their docking properties on a set of six enzymes used in this study. The extracts were moderately effective with MIC values ranging between 1.56 to 6.25mg/ml, but potent growth inhibitors of MRSA strains. Results amassed herein can be used as a stimulus for further studies geared towards the development of novel phyto-pharmaceuticals.