Extracts from traditional Chinese medical plants inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3β activity, a potential Alzheimer target

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly and the fourth leading cause of death in Western countries. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) plays a major role in the initiation and progress of AD. Hence, an inhibition of GSK3β could be a powerful strategy to slow down or even prevent the progression of AD. In this study methanolic extracts of plants from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were tested for an inhibition of GSK3β activity in vitro. An enzymatic radioactivity assay based on the phophorylation of phosphatase inhibitor 2 by GSK3β was used. To assess the cytotoxicity of…