Microglia are immune cells that are resident in central nervous system. Activation of microglial cells are detrimental to the survival of neurons. Thus, prevention of microglia activation and/or protection against microglia activation could be potential therapeutic strategy towards the management of inflammation-mediated neurodegenerative diseases. Moringa oleifera is widely consumed as food and used in folklore medicine for treating several diseases. This study was convened to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera on cell viability, cholinergic and purinergic enzymes in BV-2 microglial cultured cell. Aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera was prepared, lyophilized and reconstituted in 0.5% dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO). Cells were treated with Moringa oleifera extracts (0.1–100 μg/mL) and assessed for cell viability and nitric oxide production. Furthermore, the effect of Moringa oleifera on enzymes of cholinergic (acetylcholinesterase) and purinergic (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase; NTPDase, 5′ nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase; ADA) systems in BV-2 microglial cells were determined. Incubation of BV-2 microglia cell with M. oleifera extract maintained cell viability, modulated cholinergic and purinergic enzymes activity. The phenolic compounds found in M. oleifera extracts, include chlorogenic acid, rutin; quercetin pentoside, kaempferol derivative and quercetin derivative. Thus, this study suggest that the potential therapeutic effect of the phenolic compounds found in M. oleifera may have been responsible for the maintenance of cell viability in BV-2 microglia cells and modulation of cholinergic as well as purinergic enzymes activity.

小胶质细胞是驻留在中枢神经系统中的免疫细胞。小胶质细胞的激活不利于神经元的存活。因此，预防小胶质细胞激活和/或防止小胶质细胞激活可能是治疗炎症介导的神经退行性疾病的潜在治疗策略。辣木作为食物被广泛食用，并在民间医学中用于治疗多种疾病。本研究旨在研究辣木水提取物对BV-2 小胶质细胞培养细胞活力、胆碱能和嘌呤能酶的影响。辣木水提取物制备、冻干并在 0.5% 二甲基亚砜 (DMSO) 中重构。用辣木提取物 (0.1–100 μg/mL) 处理细胞并评估细胞活力和一氧化氮产生。此外，确定了辣木对 BV-2 小胶质细胞中胆碱能酶（乙酰胆碱酯酶）和嘌呤能酶（核苷三磷酸二磷酸水解酶；NTPDase、5'核苷酸酶和腺苷脱氨酶；ADA）系统的影响。BV-2 小胶质细胞与M. oleifera提取物的孵育保持了细胞活力，调节了胆碱能和嘌呤能酶的活性。在M. oleifera 中发现的酚类化合物提取物，包括绿原酸、芦丁；槲皮素戊糖苷、山奈酚衍生物和槲皮素衍生物。因此，这项研究表明，在M. oleifera 中发现的酚类化合物的潜在治疗作用可能是维持 BV-2 小胶质细胞的细胞活力和调节胆碱能和嘌呤能酶活性的原因。