Abstract
This study aims at performing a chemical analysis of the essential oil (EO) of Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. & Dur. and investigating the anticholinesterase and anti-monoamine oxidase activities.</br></br>The EO of the A. leucotrichus aerial part was analyzed by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The inhibitory potency against Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were evaluated in vitro using modified Ellman's method. Monoamine oxidase activity was measured using the spectrophotometric method described by Weissbach.</br></br>The chemical analysis of EO showed that the main constituents were perillaldehyde (by about 58.3%) and limonene (by about 23.33%). Further, the essential oil extracted from A. leucotrichus exhibited a promising anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity with an IC50 of about 95.2 μg/mL, where the perillaldehyde and limonene IC50 corresponded to 42.7 μg/mL and 66.7 μg/mL, respectively. The anti-acetylcholinesterase activity was observed only with limonene with IC50 = 51.6 μg/mL. The highest monoamine oxidase inhibitor activity was observed by essential oil followed by perillaldehyde. The oil demonstrated IC50 values for monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) of 40.5 μg/mL and 98.9 μg/mL for perillaldehyde. While, IC50 values for monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) were 112.5 μg/mL and 159.1 μg/mL for EO and perillaldehyde, respectively. No inhibitory activity against monoamine oxidase has been reported with limonene.</br></br>A. leucotrichus C. & D. essential oil may represent an alternative source useful as a moderate anticholinesterase agent, particularly against butyrylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase.