A novel method for screening beta-glucosidase inhibitors

Sony Pandey,Ayinampudi Sree,Soumya S Dash,Dipti P Sethi

doi:10.1186/1471-2180-13-55

Sony Pandey, Ayinampudi Sree + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-13-55

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Abstract

BackgroundFew beta-glucosidase inhibitors have so far been reported from microorganisms due to the practical difficulties in performing the inhibition tests and subsequent interpretation of results. In an effort to investigate marine microbial extracts for β-glucosidase inhibitors, we developed a new protocol, using esculin as substrate in an agar plate based assay, to screen a large number of microbial extracts in a short span of time.ResultsWith the new method, pale yellowish zones against the blackish brown background could be visually observed with more clarity in sample extracts where β-glucosidase inhibitor was present. The new method was compared with the closest existing method and established beyond doubt. This agar plate based procedure required about one hour for minimum 12 samples and the throughput increases with the size of the agar gel plate used.ConclusionsThe new protocol was simple, rapid and effective in detecting beta-glucosidase inhibitors in microbial extracts.

Highlights

Few beta-glucosidase inhibitors have so far been reported from microorganisms due to the practical difficulties in performing the inhibition tests and subsequent interpretation of results
There are extremely few reports of glucosidase inhibitors, β-glucosidase inhibitors from microorganisms, possibly because of lack of efficient high throughput methods to detect the presence of β-glucosidase inhibitors
For screening a large number of natural extracts, Results and discussion The microbial culture extracts, which were positive for β-glucosidase inhibitors, showed as pale yellowish zone of inhibition at places where the samples were spotted while the rest of the plate turned blackish brown due to the reaction of esculetin and ferric ion (Figure 1)

Summary

Results

Pale yellowish zones against the blackish brown background could be visually observed with more clarity in sample extracts where β-glucosidase inhibitor was present. The new method was compared with the closest existing method and established beyond doubt. This agar plate based procedure required about one hour for minimum 12 samples and the throughput increases with the size of the agar gel plate used

Conclusions

Background

Methods

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