Anticholinesterase Potential of Endemic <i>Fritillaria michailovskyi</i> Plant From Different Harvest Dates and Its Volatile Profile Characterised by <scp>SPME</scp> ‐ <scp>GC</scp> ‐ <scp>MS</scp>

ABSTRACT Fritillaria michailovskyi Fomin, an endemic bulbous species, is a promising medicinal plant due to its secondary metabolites, attracting interest for its potential neuroprotective properties and volatile compound composition. This study aims to determine the anticholinesterase effects of cultivated forms of Fritillaria michailovskyi (yellow lip, Liliaceae), an endemic species of our country, collected in November 2019 and July 2020, and identify the volatile compound(s) using solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) technique and analysed by GC–MS. Extracts of F. michailovskyi were prepared from bulbs of cultivated forms collected in November 2019 and July 2020 using solvents with varying polarities (methanol, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane). The in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory effects of these extracts were assessed. The volatile compounds were trapped with solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) technique in plant samples and analysed by GC–MS. Comparative GC–MS analysis of the plant samples from 2019 and 2020 revealed that aliphatic hydrocarbons and their methyl and dimethyl derivatives were the dominant components, with total volatile compound contents of 57.3% and 59.8%, respectively, and dodecane was identified as the most abundant compound in both samples. The AChE and BChE inhibition assays revealed that the most effective extract was the ethyl acetate extract obtained from bulbs collected in 2019. The findings suggest that the ethyl acetate extract of F. michailovskyi , particularly from the November 2019 collection, may serve as a potential source for further studies as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.