Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor Screening Kit (Colorimetric)

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) is the main cholinesterase enzyme in the nervous system. It is responsible for the hydrolysis of acetylcholine and some other choline esters that function as neurotransmitters. AChE is highly expressed in both the brain and the peripheral nervous system. It is especially enriched at neuromuscular junctions, where its activity serves to terminate synaptic transmission between motor neurons and skeletal muscles. Reversible inhibitors of AChE (such as donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine) are commonly used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. However, irreversible inhibitors of AChE tend to be extremely poisonous, causing muscular paralysis, convulsions, bronchial constriction and eventual death by asphyxia. BioVision’s Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor Screening Kit can be used to screen for potential inhibitors of AChE activity. It utilizes the ability of an active human AChE enzyme to hydrolyze the provided colorimetric substrate, generating a yellow chromophore that can be detected by measuring absorbance at 412 nm. In the presence of the potent reversible AChE inhibitor donepezil, enzyme activity is suppressed, preventing chromophore generation. The assay kit is adapted to a 96-well format and provides a rapid, simple and reliable test for high-throughput screening of AChE inhibitors