INHIBITION OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY BY ESSENTIAL OILS OF MENTHA SPECIES

Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity by several species of Mentha oils was investigated. AChE activity was measured by a color imetric method. Mentha aquatics (water mint) containing sesquiterpene alcohols showed the most effective inhibition (IC50 of 26 mu g/mL). In addition, some Mentha species such as M. aquatics (Akasaka-hakka II), M. gentilis (Fukuyama-hakka), M. gentilis (Akita-hakka), and M, arven sis (Nihon-hakka) showed potent inhibitory activity, and their IC50 va lues were 28-32 mu g/mL. Viridiflorol and elemol showed the most poten t inhibition in terpenoids as the main components of Mentha oils. But none of them showed stronger inhibitory activity than essential oils.