Phytochemical investigation and in vitro evaluation of cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant properties of Aglaonema hookerianum stems

Inhibition of acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase is the promising strategy for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Medicinal herb is an important source of cholinesterase inhibitors. Aglaonema hookerianum has been used in Bangladesh as a folk medicine in neurological problem and other ailments. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the phytochemical content and to explore the anticholinesterase and antioxidant activity of the crude methanol extract and its n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate and aqueous fractions. Phytochemical analysis showed that the chloroform fraction contained the highest amount of phenolics (65.92 ± 0.67 mg GAE/gm of dried extract) and flavonoids (224.38 ± 1.67 mg CE/gm dried extract). In vitro assay revealed that the chloroform fraction exhibited the highest inhibition against both the acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase with the IC50 values of 105.63 ± 0.32 and 111.00 ± 0.70 μg/ml, respectively. The fraction also exhibited strong antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 10.07 ± 0.01 μg/ml for DPPH scavenging. These findings suggest the considerable cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activity of the chloroform fraction which support the traditional use of this plant in the neurological disorder.