Acetylcholinesterase

Acetylcholinesterase is the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine.

Inhibitors
Aceytlcholinesterase inhibitors inhibit acetylcholinesterase from breaking down acetylcholine, resulting in higher circulating levels of the neurotransmitter.

They are used to treat myasthenia gravis and postural orthostatic tachycardia, and to improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's.

Examples of inhibitors
Compounds which function as reversible competitive or noncompetitive inhibitors of cholinesterase are those most likely to have therapeutic uses. These include:


 * Carbamates
 * Physostigmine
 * Neostigmine
 * Pyridostigmine
 * Ambenonium
 * Demecarium
 * Rivastigmine
 * Phenanthrene derivatives
 * Galantamine
 * Caffeine – noncompetitive (also an Adenosine receptor antagonist)
 * Rosmarinic acid - ester of Caffeic acid. Found in plants species of Lamiaceae family.
 * Alpha-Pinene - noncompetitive reversible
 * Piperidines
 * Donepezil
 * Tacrine, also known as tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA')
 * Edrophonium
 * Huperzine A
 * Ladostigil
 * Ungeremine
 * Lactucopicrin