Fucoxanthin, a Marine Carotenoid, Reverses Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Impairments in Mice and Inhibits Acetylcholinesterase in Vitro
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Fucoxanthin, a natural carotenoid abundant in edible brown seaweeds, has been shown to possess anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. In this study, we report for the first time that fucoxanthin effectively protects against scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in mice. In addition, fucoxanthin significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced increase of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and decreased both choline acetyltransferase activity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Using an in vitro AChE activity assay, we discovered that fucoxanthin directly inhibits AChE with an IC50 value of 81.2 μM. Molecular docking analysis suggests that fucoxanthin likely interacts with the peripheral anionic site within AChE, which is in accordance with enzymatic activity results showing that fucoxanthin inhibits AChE in a non-competitive manner. Based on our current findings, we anticipate that fucoxanthin might exhibit great therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease by acting on multiple targets, including inhibiting AChE and increasing BDNF expression.
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Because of their strong antioxidant activity, carotenoids are therapeutic in oxidative stress-related diseases and their complications, such as diabetes, aging, cancer, obesity, and stroke.
“Because of their strong antioxidant activity, carotenoids are therapeutic in oxidative stress–related diseases and their complications, such as diabetes, aging, cancer, obesity, and stroke [163–165].”
From The promising future of microalgae: Current status, challenges, and optimization of a sustainable and renewable industry for biofuels, feed, and other products (2018) · cites this paper as [165]
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References 39 · Cited by 142
- Authors
- Lin, J., Huang, L., Yu, J., Xiang, S., Wang, J., Zhang, J., Yan, X., Cui, W., He, S., & Wang, Q.
- Affiliations
- Ningbo University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Cui, Wei
- He, Shan
- Wang, Qinwen
- ORCID
- Venue
- Marine Drugs
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2016-03-25
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 67
- ISSN
- 1660-3397 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4849071
- OpenAlex
- W2304564051
- Cited by
- 142
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 8.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Marine Drugs (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (81202150, 81471398, 41306134, 41406163)
- Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LY15H310007, LY15090010, LQ13B020004)
- 863 Program of China (2013AA092902)
- Ningbo Marine Algae Biotechnology Team (2011B81007)
- the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry
- the K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Keywords
- fucoxanthin, marine carotenoids, scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, choline acetyltransferase, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, Alzheimer's disease, peripheral anionic site, non-competitive inhibition, molecular docking, neuroprotection
- MeSH terms
- Acetylcholinesterase, Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Carotenoids, Cholinesterase Inhibitors, Male, Mice, Inbred ICR, Scopolamine, Seaweed, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Xanthophylls, Mice, Cognitive Dysfunction, Molecular Docking Simulation
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