Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Profiling of Crateva magna Leaf Lipophilic Extract and Evaluation of Its Anti-Alzheimer and Cytotoxic Properties

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the most common types of dementia, is an urgent and growing global challenge. AD pathogenesis is associated with increased activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) and the β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (β-secretase, BACE1). This study aimed to evaluate the AChE and BACE1 inhibitory activities of the n-hexane soluble fraction of Crateva magna leaf extract (CMHF) and its cytotoxic properties against cancer and normal cell lines using MTT assay, also this study aimed to identify the volatile constituents of CMHF by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. GC-MS analysis revealed a total of 13 metabolites which represent 92.42% of the detected compounds. Phytol was the major constituent of CMHF, representing 20.52% followed by (Z, Z, Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid ethyl ester (19.04%), γ-sitosterol (13.71%), hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester (12.63%) and others. CMHF revealed potent AChE and BACE1 inhibitory activities with IC<inf>50</inf> = 0.114 ± 0.006 and 1.723 ± 0.1 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, these findings indicate that CMHF may possess anti-Alzheimer efficacy. Furthermore, the absence of cytotoxicity against HepG-2, HCT-116, MCF-7, and WISH cell lines reinforces its safety profile. Therefore, CMHF could be considered as a natural and safe alternative for managing AD.