Nsl. Perry et al., In-vitro inhibition of human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase by Salvia lavandulaefolia essential oil and constituent terpenes, J PHARM PHA, 52(7), 2000, pp. 895-902
Sage (Salvia spp) is reputed in European herbal encyclopaedias to enhance m
emory, and current memory-enhancing/anti-dementia drugs are based on enhanc
ing cholinergic activity by inhibiting cholinesterase. In this study the ef
fects of Salvia lavandulaefolia Vahl. (Spanish sage) essential oil and some
of its constituent terpenes on human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase were
examined in-vitro. The main constituents in the essential oil batch used f
or analysis of cholinesterase inhibition were camphor (27%), 1,8-cineole (1
3%), alpha- and beta-pinene (10-15%) and bornyl acetate (10%) with other mi
nor constituents (1% or less) including geraniol, limonene, linalool, terpi
neol and gamma-terpinene.
Using the Ellman spectrophotometric method, kinetic analysis was conducted
on the interaction of the essential oil and the main monoterpenoids, campho
r, 1,8-cineole and alpha-pinene. IC50 values were obtained for the essentia
l oil, 1,8-cineole and alpha-pinene and were 0.03 mu g mL(-1), 0.67 mM and
0.63 mM, respectively. Camphor and other compounds tested (geraniol, linalo
ol and gamma-terpinene) were less potent (camphor IC50: >10 mM). The essent
ial oil, alpha-pinene, 1,8-cineole and camphor were found to be uncompetiti
ve reversible inhibitors.
These findings suggest that if the inhibitory activity of the essential oil
is primarily due to the main inhibitory terpenoid constituents identified,
there is a major synergistic effect among the constituents. Since no singl
e constituent tested was particularly potent, it remains to be determined w
hether these in-vitro cholinesterase inhibitory activities are relevant to
in-vivo effects of the ingestion of S. lavandulaefolia essential oil on bra
in acetylcholinesterase activity.