Madhuca longifolia – bark and leaves: An outlook for natural therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological related disease and it is most common cause for dementia. Also, AD causes many disability and important socio-economic burden, but till to date no cure available. Due to the side effect of commercial available drugs, people more interested for natural origin medicine for drug candidates that are capable of preventing and treating AD related pathology, particularly where suppression of amyloid accumulation, neurofibrillary tangle formation, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are equally significant. Madhuca Longifolia (Koenig) j.f Macb. is a medicinally very important plant belongs to the family Sapotaceae and commonly known as Mahua/Butter nut tree. It is a multipurpose forest tree that provides food, fodder, fuel, and medicines. It exhibited numerous biological/pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antidepressant, sedative, aphrodisiac, analgesic, tonic, astringent, demulcent, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antimicrobial anti-diabetic, and anti-ulcer activities. In this context, we have collected the leaves and bark of M. longifolia and extracted them from different solvents and further these extracts evaluated the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities, antioxidant studies, and amyloidogenic inhibition supported by thioflavin-T (Th-T) assay (with Cu and Zn), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), inhibition of glycation and aggregation of bovine serum albumin induced by ribose and cell toxicity in SH-SY5Y studies. The results showed that, M. longifolia extracts was able to inhibit the Aβ42 aggregation from monomers and oligomers. Also, able to dis-aggregate the pre-formed fibrils and also it has potent anti-cholinergic and antioxidant activity. The study provides an insight on finding new natural products for AD therapeutics.