75 Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 18, No. 1&2, 2004, 75-94 AChE and BuChE vis-a-vis Dementia and Related Brain Disorders : A Therapeutic Strategies Pallavi Mishra* Department of Chemistry JNV University, Jodhpur-Rajasthan A. L. Bhatia Department of Zoology University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - 302 004 Memory and attention are cognitive functions that depend heavily on the cholinergic system. Local activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and butyryl choline esterase (BuChE) are indicators of its integrity. Using very recently developed techniques patients with dementia of Alzheimer have been studied and compared with the findings on measurements of blood flow (CBF) and glucose metabolism. AChE activity was reduced significantly in all brain regions in demented subjects, reduction of glucose metabolism and CBF was more limited to temporo-parietal association areas. Present review indicates that, compared to non-demented controls, there is a global reduction of cortical AChE activity in dementia and increase of BuChE. It also discusses various plant-based brain boosters for the therapeutic goal through AchE. This article also reviews the pharmacological basis of some plants and their active constituents that have been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and TCM for their reputed cognitive-enhancing effects. Keywords : Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, cholinergic system, acetylcholine esterase, cerebral blood flow, cerebral glucose metabolism. Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects the elderly population, and is estimated to account for 50–60% of dementia cases in persons over 65 years of age. The main symptoms associated with AD involve cognitive dysfunction, primarily memory loss (Förstl et al., 1995; Grafman et al., 1990 and Grosse et al., 1991). Other features associated with the later stages of AD include language deficits, depression, behavioural problems including agitation, mood disturbances and psychosis (Kumar et al., 1998; McGuffey, 1997 and Wragg and Jeste, 1989). Alzheimer’s disease : The dementia of Alzheimer’s disease type, which occurs when nerve cells degenerate and cause pathological shrinking * Presently at JECRC, Sitapura, Jaipur - Rajasthan