PUERARIA THUNBERGIANA EXTRACT HAVING AN ACTIVITY OF ACTIVATING CHOLINE ACETYLTRANSFERASE IN BRAIN NERVE CELLS

摘要

The extract of Pueraria thunbergiana or a low molecular weight flavonoid extracted therefrom is provided to activate choline acetyltransferase in brain nerve cells, so that it is useful for preventing or treating brain nerve disease. A composition for activating choline acetyltransferase in brain nerve cells comprises the extract of Pueraria thunbergiana as an effective ingredient, wherein the extract of Pueraria thunbergiana is prepared with methanol or ethanol. The low molecular weight flavonoid extracted from the extract of Pueraria thunbergiana is 4',7-dihydroxyisoflavone(daidzein), wherein low molecular weight flavonoid is purified by (i) extracting dried Pueraria thunbergiana with methanol or ethanol, (ii) fractionating the methanol or ethanol extract with hexane, chloroform and ethylacetate sequentially, (iii) subjecting the ethylacetate fraction to first and second open silica gel column, (iv) subjecting the active fraction to thin layer chromatography, and (v) subjecting the active fraction to high pressure liquid chromatography.