Antidiabetic effect of potential Indian medicinal plants: A target specific in-vitro study

Abstract

Thirty plant species were selected from the published literature as traditionally used by the indigenous people of the Telangana State for common human ailments. Antioxidants present in plants play an important role to protect the human body against damage by reactive oxygen species. In present studies methanolic extract of 30 plants were analyzed in a DPPH assay of free radical scavenging activity and some of the extracts were found to possess activity comparable to ascorbic acid. The plant extracts having higher antioxidant activity are Phyllanthus madaraspatensis, Bauhinia racemosa, Alkanna tinctoria, Ventilago maderaspatana (94.29, 88.13, 66.87 and 100 % inhibition, respectively and IC50 values recorded were 5.48, 9.25, 20.15, 60.15g/ml respectively, while the IC50 value of standard compound (Ascorbic acid) is 20.9g/ml. In present studies 23 plant methanlic extracts were assayed for α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition activity of which 5 plant extracts i.e., Jatropha gossypifolia (59.95), cocos nucifera flowers (63.78), Oroxylum indicum (93.24), Euphorbia hirta (62.56) and Cochlospermum gossypium (62.69%) noticed with higher % inhibition and comparable with acarbose. IC50 values of all five plant extracts were recorded as 2.83, 3.42, 0.72,2.91 ,1.9 g/ml respectively while standard IC50 value is 0.69g/ml for Acarbose. In present studies 30 higher % inhibition found were Jatropha gossypifolia (77.95%), Hiptage mandablota (82.16%), Alkanna tinctoria (86.32%), Euphorbia hirta (100%) and Pterocarpus marsupium (75.62%).IC50 values of the plants recorded as Pterocarpus marsupium 55.81, Jatropa gossypifolia 50.23, Hiptage mandablota 20.76 and Euphorbia hirta 60.14 (µg/mL).Our data indicated that these plants could be potential natural sources for further drug development in diabetes.