An-Najah Staff

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia characterized by a progressive loss of memory, deterioration of virtually all intellectual functions, increased apathy, decreased speech function, disorientation, and gait irregularities AD primarily affects the elderly population of over 65 years of age, and is estimated to account for 50 -60% of the dementia cases. The number of AD cases is expected to triple over the next 30 to 40 years. A loss of acethylcholin (ACh) plays a vital role in the learning and memory deterioration of AD patients. It is an organic molecule liberated at nerve endings as a neurotransmitter, which is rapidly hydrolyzed by acethylcholinestrase (AChE). Elevating ACh level in AD patients is considered as an essential target for treatment. Traditional medicine, specially the use of medicinal plants, still plays a vital role to cover the basic health need in developing countries. Plants have been used as memory enhancers in Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine, TAPHM. Objective: To evaluate in vitro the anti-cholinesterase potential of a number of selected Palestinian medicinal plants in search for new.