Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L. ) is a fruit cultivated in various parts of the world. Both sweet and bitter kernels of apricot have been used for the treatment of different diseases such as loss of memory in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM). In the present study, the inhibitory activity of sweet and bitter extracts of apricot kernels towards cholinesterase (ChE) enzymes, both acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase was examined through Ellman’ s method. In addition, neuroprotectivity of aqueous extracts and amygdalin were investigated against H2 O2-induced cell death in PC12 neurons. Among them, the best acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (IC50 = 134. 93 ± 2. 88 µ g/mL) and neuroprotectivity (P-value < 0. 0001) were obtained by the aqueous extract of bitter type. It was found that all extracts showed no butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity.

Background and objectives: Asarum europaeum L. is an herbal medicine belonging to the family Aristolochiaceae. The rhizome of the plant has been used for the treatment of various diseases in complementary and alternative medicine of various countries. In Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), the aqueous extract of the rhizome has been used for the improvement and enhancement of memory. Methods: In the present study, the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts as well as different fractions of A. europaeum rhizome were evaluated for their cholinesterase (ChE), acetyl-and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE and BChE) inhibitory activity via modified Ellman's method. Results: The ethyl acetate fraction selectively showed the most suitable anti-AChE activity (IC50 = 99. 69 μ g/mL); none of the extracts or fractions demonstrated anti-BChE activity. In this regard, the ethyl acetate fraction was candidate for the investigation of further biological activities such as antioxidant activity, neuroprotectivity, and metal chelating ability related to Alzheimer’ s disease. It depicted favorable neuroprotectivity at concentration of 100 μ g/mL against the toxicity of exposure to H2O2 in PC12 cells (p 0. 001, cell viability = 80/60%) and chelating ability towards zinc, iron, and copper ions. The results of antioxidant activity by DPPH assay showed that the ethyl acetate fraction was much more potent than BHA as the reference drug. Conclusion: The ethyl acetate fraction of A. europaeum L. showed potent biological activities involved in Alzheimer’ s disease and needs complementary investigations to develop an herbal product against Alzheimer’ s disease.

Background and purpose: Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant with radioprotective properties. We designed the current work to assess the neuroprotective function of ALA in the presence of oxidative stress induced by radiation in the brainstem of rats. Experimental approach: Whole-brain radiations (X-rays) was given at a single dose of 25 Gy with or without pretreatment with ALA (200 mg/kg BW). Eighty rats were categorized into four groups: vehicle control (VC), ALA, radiation-only (RAD), and radiation + ALA (RAL). The rats were given ALA intraperitoneally 1 h before radiation and killed following 6 h, thereafter superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the brainstem were measured. Furthermore, a pathological examination was carried out after 24 h, 72 h, and five days to determine tissue damage. Findings/Results: The findings indicated that MDA levels in the brainstem were 46. 29 ±,1. 64 μ, M in the RAD group and decreased in the VC group (31. 66 ±,1. 72 μ, M). ALA pretreatment reduced MDA levels while simultaneously increasing SOD and CAT activity and TAC levels (60. 26 ±,5. 47 U/mL, 71. 73 ±,2. 88 U/mL, and 227. 31 ±,9. 40 mol/L, respectively). The greatest pathological changes in the rat’, s brainstems were seen in RAD animals compared to the VC group after 24 h, 72 h, and 5 days. As a result, karyorrhexis, pyknosis, vacuolization, and Rosenthal fibers vanished in the RAL group in three periods. Conclusion and implications: ALA exhibited substantial neuroprotectivity following radiation-induced brainstem damage.