Cognitive Enhancing and Antioxidative Potentials of Velvet Beans (Mucuna pruriens) and Horseradish (Moringa oleifera) Seeds Extracts: A Comparative Study

Velvet beans and Horseradish seeds are widely consumed as food, and use in folklore for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction although with limited information on their mechanisms of action. This study investigated and compared the effects of aqueous extracts of these seeds on the cholinergic [acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)] and monoaminergic [monoamine oxidase (MAO)] enzymes and FeSO4-induced thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) in isolated rat brain homogenate. Results revealed that both extracts inhibited AChE, BChE, MAO and TBARS in a dose-dependent manner. However, Horseradish seeds extract had higher AChE, BChE and MAO inhibitory abilities with IC50 values of 0.27, 0.18 and 0.14 mg/mL, respectively, relatively to Velvet beans (AChE = 0.39; BChE = 0.39; MAO = 0.29 mg/mL) extract but displayed lower TBARS inhibitory ability. These biological properties of the seeds explain possible mechanisms for their neuroprotective abilities. However, Horseradish seeds showed better promising potentials than Velvet beans seeds. Practical Application: Edible seeds are well known for their various health benefits due to their bioactivity. The findings from this study will add valuable preliminary information regarding the potential use of Velvet beans seeds and Horseradish seeds as cheap, natural, alternative and/or complementary sources of antioxidative and neuroprotective agents. The findings will provide scientific evidence on health advantages of these seeds that might result from their consumption; thereby enabling consumers and patients with neurodegeneration to make better choices.