Abstract
In this study, the effect of ethanol extract of the leaves of Newbouldia laevis on the activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase was investigated. Inhibitory effect of N. laevis extract on α-glucosidase was tested in vitro using baker's yeast α-glucosidase and rat intestinal α-glucosidase while α-amylase inhibitory effect was assayed using rat pancreatic α-amylase. α-Glucosidase inhibitory effect of the extract was also tested in vivo in diabetic and non-diabetic rats. N. laevis extract exhibited good α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro with IC50 values of 2.2 µg/mL and 43.5 µg/mL for baker's yeast and rat intestinal α-glucosidase respectively. The extract also inhibited rat pancreatic α-amylase activity with IC50 value of 58.7 µg/mL. In both diabetic and non-diabetic rats, N. laevis extract caused a significant reduction in postprandial blood glucose level after oral sucrose load. The results of this study indicate that N. laevis extract exerts its glucose-lowering effect through inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder which affects millions of people around the world
We investigated the effects of ethanol extract of N. laevis leaves on α-amylase and αglucosidase in diabetic rats
Drugs and chemicals: Streptozotocin, rat intestinal acetone powder, baker’s yeast, rat pancreatic amylase, pnitrophenyl α-D-glucopyranoside, acarbose and sucrose were obtained from Sigma Chemical Co
Summary
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder which affects millions of people around the world It is one of the leading causes of blindness, cardiovascular complications and end-stage renal failure that results in dialysis and kidney transplantation. Diabetes is characterized by disturbance in glucose homeostasis which results in chronic hyperglycemia. One of the important therapeutic interventions employed in the management of diabetes mellitus is targeted at decreasing postprandial blood glucose level (Alexander-Lindo et al, 2007). This can be achieved by reducing the digestion of carbohydrate and absorption of glucose using inhibitors of enzymes that are involved in the process of digestion. Inhibitors of αamylase and α-glucosidase have been effectively used to achieve good glycemic control in diabetic patients (Lelono and Tachibana, 2013)
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