The purpose of this study was to evaluate the phenolic content of 18 medicinal plant extracts of "Live Pharmacies" and correlate them with their free radical scavenging activity and inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Higher amounts of phenolic compounds were found in the following plants: Eugenia uniflora, Lippia alba, Lippia microphylla, Mentha x villosa, Ocimum gatissimum, and Ocimum selloi. The species that showed higher anti-radical activity were Croton zenhtneri, Lippia alba, Malphigia glabra, and Spondias mombim, similar to quercetin. The plants Cecropia pachystachia, L. alba, L. microplylla, M. glabra, O. gratissimum, and Plectranthus ornatus showed larger inhibition zones of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. By correlating the two actions L. alba and M. glabra are common as more active to both tests and only L. alba correlates directly with the phenolic content. Through this study, L. alba and M. glabra are considered the most promising plants for further studies to find new compounds with potential action against Alzheimer's disease.
live pharmacies; acetylcholinesterase; anti-radical; Alzheimer's disease
