Phytochemical Profiling and Anticholinesterase Activity of Alpinia zerumbet: A Potential Source of Natural Therapeutics

Alpinia zerumbet is an economically important species belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, widely used in traditional medicines and nutraceuticals. The present study explores the phytochemical constituents of the extracts of both leaves and rhizomes of A. zerumbet together with their in-vitro anticholinesterase effect. Both leaves and rhizomes of A. zerumbet were analyzed using LC/MS-MS leading to the annotation of 24 constituents in the methanolic extract of the leaves and 23 constituents in the rhizomes extract encompassing various classes including phenolic acids, flavonoids, kavalactones, diarylheptanoids, gingerols and terpenoids. Both extracts demonstrated promising anticholinesterase activity, with the rhizomes exhibiting a stronger effect (IC50 = 2.229 ± 0.077 µg/ml) compared to the leaves (IC50 = 3.573 ± 0.123 µg/ml). Tacrine served as the standard for anticholinesterase activity, with an IC50 = 0.428 ± 0.015 µg/ml. The results suggest that A. zerumbet, particularly its rhizomes, holds potential as a natural source of anticholinesterase agents, warranting further investigation for therapeutic applications.