Description
Imperatorinisafurocoumarinthatdisplaysawidevarietyofbeneficialproperties,includingantihypertensive,vasodilatory,antioxidative,antibacterial,anti-parasitic,cognitionenhancing,andneuroprotectiveactivities.Imperatorinincreaseslevelsofcatalase,xanthineoxidase,glutathione,NO,andNOSanddecreaseslevelsofangiotensinIIinhypertensiverats.Invitro,imperatorininducesNO-regulatedvasodilationinmousethoracicaortictissue.ThiscompoundisactiveagainstbothgrampositiveandgramnegativebacteriaandalsoshowstoxicityagainstCulexandAedesmosquitolarvae,indicatinginsecticidepotentialaswell.Invitro,imperatorininhibitscaspase-3andBaxexpressionandupregulatesBcl-2andBDNFexpression.Inanimalmodelsofcerebralischemia,imperatorindecreasesinfarctvolume.Additionally,thiscompoundinhibitsvoltage-gatedNa+channelsinrathippocampalneuronsanddisplaysinhibitoryactivityagainstbothbutyrlcholinesterase(BChE)andacetylcholinesterase(AChE).InanimalmodelsofAlzheimer’sdisease,imperatorinimprovesmemoryacquisitionandconsolidationprocesses.