In vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibition by psoralen using molecular docking and enzymatic studies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has increased at an alarming rate and is now a worldwide health problem. Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) leading to inhibition of acetylcholine breakdown constitute the main therapeutic strategy for AD. Psoralen was investigated as inhibitor of AChE enzyme in an attempt to explore its potential for the management of AD. Psoralen was isolated from powdered Psoralea corylifolia fruits. AChE enzyme inhibitory activity of different concentrations of psoralen was investigated by use of in vitro enzymatic and molecular docking studies. Further, the enzyme kinetics were studied using Lineweaver-Burk plot. Psoralen was found to inhibit AChE enzyme activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Kinetic studies showed psoralen inhibits AChE in a competitive manner. Molecular docking study revealed that psoralen binds well within the binding site of the enzyme showing interactions such as π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding with residues present therein. The result of AChE enzyme inhibitory activity of the psoralen in this study is promising. It could be further explored as a potential candidate for further development of new drugs against AD.