Vol. 5, Issue 6 (2016)

Indian Medicine has a long history in treatment of disorders mostly by using medicinal plants. Since, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) are the usual drugs for Alzheimer’s disease; therefore, in order to find new AChEIs, the plants used in are good candidates. In the present investigation, AChEI activity [1] and AChE inhibitory kinetics of Bacopa monnieri and organophosphate pesticide (OP) Acephate in the heart of chick has been investigated. Chicks were dosed daily with ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri 100mg/kg b. w. for one week and acephate (34 mg/kg/b. w.) in ground nut oil for 4 days. Our results indicate significant AChE inhibition by acephate (55.8%) and Bacopa monnieri (31.6%). Our enzyme kinetic study showed that the acephate and Bacopa monnieri both yield competitive AChE inhibition. Acephate caused severe cardiotoxicity evidenced by damage of cardiomyocytes, necrosis and pyknosis in the heart muscles. However, Bacopa monnieri treated heart exhibited almost normal architecture, barring a little pyknosis, enlargement of nuclei and spaces among the cardiomyocytes fibers.