Synephrine and phenylephrine act as -amylase, -glycosidase, acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and carbonic anhydrase enzymes inhibitors

In this paper, synephrine and phenylephrine compounds showed excellent inhibitory effects against human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) isoforms I and II, -amylase, -glycosidase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Synephrine and phenylephrine had K-i values of 199.02 +/- 16.01 and 65.01 +/- 5.00M against hCA I and 336.02 +/- 74.01 and 92.04 +/- 18.03M against hCA II, respectively. On the other hand, their K-i values were found to be 169.10 +/- 80.03 and 88.03 +/- 5.01nM against AChE and 177.06 +/- 6.01 and 78.03 +/- 3.05nM against BChE, respectively. -Amylase and -glycosidase enzymes were easily inhibited by these compounds. -Glycosidase inhibitors, generally defined to as starch blockers, are anti-diabetic drugs that help to decrease post comestible blood glucose levels.