Functional ingredients of Folium Nelumbinis against amyloid-β toxicity in C. elegans: The bioactive compounds screened and the molecular mechanism explored

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an insidious, neurodegenerative disease that no drug can prevent or cure. Folium Nelumbinis (FN) has rich functional components with neuroprotective effects. This research explored the FN chemical profile and the neuroprotective effect in vivo. Studies on the safety assessment of FN extract, effects on amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation, oxidative stress, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were performed in Caenorhabditis elegans. Results revealed that the FN extract could delay paralysis, reduce Aβ deposition, lower oxidative stress, attenuate AChE activity, and regulate genes and proteins related to Aβ toxicity, which suggested that it exerts a dual targeting effect on Aβ and AChE simultaneously. Additionally, seven individual components from FNE were screened out with affinity ultrafiltration mass spectrum combined with molecular docking. The underlying mechanisms might be relevant to the DAF-16/FOXO signaling pathway and ACE1/ACE2 axis. In conclusion, FN is valuable in health promotion and AD prevention.