In silico and in vitro studies confirm Ondansetron as a novel acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is growing rapidly among the elderly population around the world. Studies show that a lack of acetylcholine and butyrylcholine due to the overexpression of enzymes Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) may lead to reduced communication between neuron cells. As a result, seeking novel inhibitors targeting these enzymes might be vital for the future treatment of AD. Ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or radiation treatments and is herein shown to be a potent inhibitor of cholinesterase. Comparison is made between Ondansetron and FDA-approved cholinesterase inhibitors Rivastigmine and Tacrine. Molecular docking demonstrates that interactions between the studied ligand and aromatic residues in the peripheral region of the active site are important in binding. Molecular dynamics simulations and binding pose metadynamics show that Ondansetron is highly potent against both enzymes and far better than Rivastigmine. Inhibitor activities evaluated by in vitro studies confirm that the drug inhibits AChE and BChE by non-competitive and mixed inhibition, respectively, with IC 50 values 33 µM (AChE) and 2.5 µM (BChE). Based on the findings, we propose that Ondansetron may have therapeutic applications in inhibiting cholinesterase, especially for BChE.