Identification of AChE-Targeting Anti-Cerebral Palsy Constituents From Coptis chinensis Using Affinity Ultrafiltration And Experimental Validation

Yi Yang; Hongjiao Jin; Rui Huang; Ning Zhao; Yu Chen; Hui Zhang; Haiyan Zhang; Yujiao Dong; Yong Lin

doi:10.3791/71072

A subscription to JoVE is required to view this content. Sign in or start your free trial.

Research Article

Identification of AChE-Targeting Anti-Cerebral Palsy Constituents From Coptis chinensis Using Affinity Ultrafiltration And Experimental Validation

103 views

⸱

DOI:

10.3791/71072

⸱

June 30th, 2026

Yi Yang¹ , Hongjiao Jin¹ , Rui Huang¹ , Ning Zhao¹ , Yu Chen¹ , Hui Zhang¹ , Haiyan Zhang¹ , Yujiao Dong¹ , Yong Lin¹

¹Pediatric Rehabilitation Department, The First People's Hospital of Zunyi (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University)

Summary

The purpose of this study was to identify the key active components of Coptis chinensis and elucidate its action in the intervention of cerebral palsy (CP) by means of affinity ultrafiltration and experimental verification.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the key active components of Coptis chinensis and elucidate its mechanisms of action in the intervention of cerebral palsy (CP) by means of affinity ultrafiltration. Using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as the target, coptisine was screened out from the extract of C. chinensis as the component with the strongest binding capacity, which exhibited a binding rate of 21.9% and significant in vitro inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 3.24 µg/mL). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that coptisine could bind stably to the active pocket of AChE. Subsequently, verification experiments were carried out on a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). The results showed that intervention with coptisine (10 mg/kg) significantly improved spatial learning and memory deficits in the model animals, increased cerebral blood flow in the injured hemisphere, alleviated pathological damage of brain tissues, and inhibited the abnormal activation of AChE in the brain. In summary, this study combined affinity ultrafiltration technology and confirmed that coptisine, identified from C. chinensis extract, can inhibit AChE and exert neuroprotective effects and cerebral blood flow-improving effects. It serves as the key material basis for C. chinensis to ameliorate CP-like neurological deficits, thereby providing candidate molecules and scientific evidence for the development of related drugs.

Introduction

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a permanent syndrome caused by non-progressive damage to the developing brain of fetuses or infants, characterized primarily by motor dysfunction and postural abnormalities. Although multiple clinical treatment approaches are currently available for CP, there remains a lack of ideal drugs that can fundamentally repair neurological deficits with minimal side effects. In contrast to chemically synthesized drugs, which usually act on single targets and carry relatively high potential toxicity, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), with their advantages of multi-component, multi-target, and holistic regulation as well as the favorable safety profile....