In Vitro Pharmacological Screening of Antioxidant, Photoprotective, Cholinesterase, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Algerian Crataegus oxyacantha Fruits and Leaves Extracts

Various parts of Crataegus oxyacantha (hawthorn) plant have been used in traditional medicine in many countries including Algeria. In this study, antioxidant (GOR, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC and phenanthroline), photoprotective, and inhibition ability of n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts from leaves and fruits of C. oxyacantha against Alzheimer’s disease [acetylcholinesterases (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterases (BChe)] and diabetes mellitus (α-glucosidase) related enzyme activities were investigated using standard methods. According to the obtained results, all plant extracts produced significant antioxidant effects. The ethyl acetate extract of C. oxyacantha leaves having the highest total bioactive content exhibited most pronounced antioxidant potential. Moreover, the extracts exhibited inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase, which was concentration dependent. The most potent inhibitor for α-glucosidase was n-butanol extract of C. oxyacantha leaves (with IC50 = 4.99 ± 0.82 μg/mL). The results also indicated a substantial BChe inhibitory activity of n-butanol extract (IC50 = 175.35 ± 16.25 μg/mL) and ethyl acetate extract (IC50 = 148.23 ± 13.41 μg/mL). The n-butanol extract was also the most potent inhibitor of AChE (IC50 = 159.09 ± 7.68 μg/mL. In addition, the plant extracts exhibited significant photoprotective potential with sun protection factor (SPF) values ranging from 17.19 ± 0.10 to 48.66 ± 0.00. Therefore, C. oxyacantha plant has a significant potential for enhancing pharmaceutical formulations.