Neuroprotective potential of the fruit (acorn) from Quercus coccifera L.

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease are among the deadly disorders affecting the elderly population. Unfortunately, effective treatments and medications are still needed to combat these diseases. The ethanol extracts of the raw peeled acorns and acorn coffees from Quercus coccifera prepared by two different methods (boiled-roasted ground and roasted ground) were tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and tyrosinase (TYR), the enzymes associated with neurodegeneration. The acorns used in the present study were harvested from wild Quercus coccifera L. trees in Kilis Province, located in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey in November 2016. Cholinesterase (ChE) and TYR inhibitory activity of the ethanol extracts prepared from raw material and two coffee samples were screened using an ELISA microtiter assay at 2 mg/mL stock concentration. Antioxidant effects of the extracts were also tested for their scavenging activity against DPPH, while total phenol and flavonoid quantities of the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. Our results indicated that all of the extracts had notable AChE and BChE inhibition, while they were inactive against TYR. The most active extract against ChEs was prepared from the raw material, which led to 65.94 ± 3.59% and 85.04 ± 3.83% inhibition against AChE and BChE, respectively. Our data indicate that the fruit extract from Quercus coccifera is a source of promising ChE inhibitors and deserves future study.