Identification of embelin,a 3-undecyl-1,4-benzoquinone from Embelia ribes as a multitargeted anti-Alzheimer agent

Beta-secreatse (BACE-1) and cholinesterases are clinically validated targets of Alzheimer's disease (AD), for which natural products have provided immense contribution. The multifaceted nature of AD signifies the need of multitargeted agents to tackle this disease. In the search of new natural products as dual BACE-1/cholinesterase inhibitors, a library of pure natural products was screened for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and BACE-1. The screening efforts have identified 1,4-benzoquinone “embelin,” a natural product derived from Embelia ribes displaying inhibition of all three enzymes, with IC₅₀ values of 2.5, 5.4, and 2.1 μM, respectively. This screen has also identified isoquinoline alkaloids papaverine and L-tetrahydropalmatine as AChE inhibitors. Kinetic study has shown that embelin inhibits EeAChE and EqBChE with ki values of 4.59 and 0.57 μM, in an uncompetitive and noncompetitive manner, respectively. The interactions of embelin with allosteric peripheral anionic site of cholinesterases, has further supported the results of kinetic study. Embelin has also enhanced the activity of P-gp in LS-180 cells, the efflux pump which is involved in the clearance of amyloid-β from AD brain. Further, the cell viability study in neuronal cell line has indicated the excellent therapeutic window of embelin. These results are indicative of the fact that embelin is a multitargeted agent playing role in stopping the formation of amyloid-β oligomers (via inhibition of BACE-1), improves cholinergic-transmission (via inhibition of AChE/BChE) and increases amyloid-β clearance (via P-gp induction).