Identification of Antioxidants and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors from Hapaline benthamiana Schott. Using at Line LC-ESI-QTOF MS/MS

In this work, total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition potency of Hapaline benthamiana schott are reported. In addition, the investigation of antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase compounds of this plant coupled to the at line-LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS technique is introduced for the first time. The results show that the methanolic extract contains the highest amount of total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity. The at line-LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS technique has provided information on the biological activity of each compound while mass spectrometry provided information on their molecular weights. Based on their mass spectra, 53 compounds were identified with most of them being phenolic, flavonoid, and glycolipid compounds. Seventeen compounds exhibited a strong antioxidant activity ranging between 51.52 - 63.58 % inhibition whereas one compound, namely septentriodine, showed a strong acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of more than 50 %. This study indicates that Hapaline benthamiana schott is a source of active compounds containing antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities with health benefits. In addition, at line-LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS has been shown to be an effective technique for the rapid and simultaneous analyses of antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase compounds in plant extracts. HIGHLIGHTS Investigation of antioxidants and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from Hapaline benthamiana Schott coupled to at line-LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS technique is reported for the first time Fifty-three compounds from methanolic extract were successfully identified Eighteen compounds exhibited strong biological activity This technique is a rapid and valuable tool for the identification of lead compounds in complex extracts and for the investigation of their bioactivity GRAPHICAL