The effects of a food product containing lactic acid on the activity of acetylcholinesterase

Plamen Sagortchev, Yordanka Uzunova, Julian Lukanov, Andre-Michael Beer

Abstract
Objective: Patients reported that a food product containing lactic acid improved their memory and thought processes. The ingredients of the tested food product are compound substances and smooth muscle fibre, the appropriate medium in which to analyse their effects. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat memory loss and failing thought performance. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the lactic acid food product with the effects of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
Methods: In this in vitro study the effects of the food product containing lactic acid on smooth muscle fibres of guinea pig stomach were investigated.
Results: The results show that the lactic acid food product contains substances that can inhibit the activity of both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. This inhibitory effect was compared to the inhibitory effects of galantamine (Nivalin®), pyridostigmine bromide (Kalymin®) and donepezil hydrochloride (Donepezil®), which are clinically used for the pharmacological treatment of dementia. We observed a 5% to 20% less potency factor difference with the lactic acid food product compared to that of the pharmaceutical drugs.
Conclusions: This proves that the lactic acid food product can also have an impact on memory and thought performance and that these results should promote clinical trials to test efficacy.

Key words: Donepezile hydrochloride; Galantamine; Pyridostigmine bromide; Smooth muscle fibre