Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability Study of Potential Neuroprotective Compounds Recovered From Plants and Agri-Food by-Products

Can discarded agricultural waste and common plants hold the key to protecting our brains? Researchers are turning everyday botanical by-products into potential neuroprotective powerhouses.

Plants and agri-food by-products are rich, renewable reservoirs of bioactive compounds with impressive neuroprotective properties. To tap into this hidden potential, scientists utilized advanced green extraction techniques to recover these valuable molecules from unique sources. These included kalanchoe, tamarillo epicarp, and cooperage woods from acacia and lenga, alongside a rosemary reference extract acting as a positive control.

Evaluating these extracts required a rigorous battery of tests. Researchers measured their enzymatic and antioxidant bioactivities using assays targeting acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, lipoxygenase, and various reactive species. Crucially, they tested whether these compounds could cross a simulated blood-brain barrier and assessed their safety through cell viability assays on specific cell lines.

Advanced chemical profiling via liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry revealed a rich bounty. The target extracts showed heavily enriched contents of phenolic and terpenoid compounds, proving that sustainable botanical waste can yield sophisticated biochemical tools.

Key Points

• Green extraction of neuroprotective compounds from plants and waste
• Comprehensive in vitro enzymatic, antioxidant, and cell viability assays
• Phytochemical profiling revealing enriched phenolic and terpenoid content