A wide range of evidence show that acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors can interfere with the progression of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The successful development of these compounds was based on a well-accepted theory that the decline in cognitive and mental functions associated with AD is related to the loss of cortical cholinergic neurotransmission. The earliest known AChE inhibitors, namel...

By rapid hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase terminates neurotransmission at cholinergic synapses. Acetylcholinesterase is a very fast enzyme, functioning at a rate approaching that of a diffusion-controlled reaction. The powerful toxicity of organophosphate poisons is attributed primarily to their potent inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Acetylcholinestera...

Butyrylcholinesterase is involved three different enzymatic activities in its structure like its sister enzyme, acetylcholinesterase: esterase, aryl acylamidase and peptidase (or protease). Whereas the clear role of acetylcholinesterase in cholinergic neurotransmission is well defined, the real physiological function of butyrylcholinesterase is still unknown. Both enzymes have similar molecular...

The therapeutic approach for improving the cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is mainly based on the potentiation of central cholinergic activity and is achieved clinically by the use of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and other drugs currently in clinical trials. These are, by their pharmacology, only sympto...

Background and the purpose of the study: The amount of elder people who suffer from Alzheimer disease is continuously increasing every year. Cholinesterase inhibitors have shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of the disease, thus opening a field of research for these treatments. Herbal products, owning a reputation as effective agents in many biological studies are now drawing atte...