In Vitro α-Glucosidase, α-Amylase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Root Crude Extract and Solvent Fractions of Arbutus unedo L. (Ericaceae)

Abstract

Roots of Arbutus unedo (Ericaceae) have been used traditionally to treat diabetes in some countries. Conducting more experiments is needed to support this plant's potential antidiabetic properties, though. Ethanolic extract yielded by cold maceration was subjected into fractionation to get hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and aqueous fractions. Total phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity have been estimated utilizing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay models, respectively. Antidiabetic activity of A. unedo extracts were evaluated using in vitro α-glucosidase, α-amylase inhibition activity. The ethanol extract had the highest antioxidant activity among used extracts. While the results of both α-glucosidase, α-amylase enzyme inhibition activity was detected to be dose-dependent, the strongest inhibition activity for α-glucosidase and α-amylase was shown by ethanol extract (526.65 and 522.66 µg mL-1 respectively) compared to the standard acarbose. Results demonstrated the beneficial effects of A. unedo extracts by showing antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.