Phytochemical screening, butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and anti-inflammatory effect of some Tunisian medicinal plants

Abstract In the present study, we have tested the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity of the petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol aerial extracts of Marrubium alysson , Peganum harmala and Retama raetam at 10 and 1000 μg/mL. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined by the carrageenan-induced paw edema assay in rats. Total flavonoids and phenols and total pigment contents were also investigated. The highest flavonoid contents were found in the methanolic extracts of P . harmala and the highest phenol content in the methanolic extract of R . raetama . The highest concentration of chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids were found in the leaves of P . harmala . The methanol extract of Marrubium alysson showed the best inhibitory activity against BChE (72.5 ± 2.07%) whereas the methanol extract of Peganum harmala had a moderate inhibitory effect (50.53 ± 1.98%) at the same concentration of 1 mg/ml. Methanol extracts of M . alysson and P . harmala had the highest anti-inflammatory activity.