Nutritional, phytochemistry, antioxidant, and antidiabetic potentials of Hippocratea velutina (Afzel.) leaves: In vitro, ex vivo and in silico studies

Abstract

BackgroundHippocratea velutina is a novel folk plant that is used for lowering blood glucose and is hence a potential source of new antidiabetic medication. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the antidiabetic and antidiabetic potential of the methanol extract of Hippocratea velutina leaves. MethodsThe nutritional, elemental, and phytochemical properties of H. velutina leaves were investigated. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) scavenging ability, Fe2+chelation and nitric oxide scavenging abilities, FeSO4-induced pancreatic injury parameters such as catalase, GSH, ENTPase, Na/K ATPase activities, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities were used to assess the antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of H. velutina leaf. Furthermore, HPLC-identified constituents of H. velutina leaf methanol extract were docked against human α-glucosidase (3TOP) and human α-amylase (1B2Y). ResultsThe results revealed that H. velutina contains protein, crude fat, flavonoids, anthraquinones, magnesium, sodium, and iron. Compared with quercetin, H. velutina significantly scavenged NO• radicals and chelated Fe2+. H. velutina exhibited a greater inhibitory effect on FeSO4-induced pancreatic injury. Furthermore, H. velutina showed a dose-dependent increase in the activity of ENTPDase and the Na/K ATPase enzyme, and it also had a significantly greater inhibitory effect on α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes than metformin. Computational study revealed that lutein showed the highest binding free energy to 3TOP, while apigenin offered the highest binding free energy to 1B2Y. ConclusionHippocratea velutina leaf possesses significant antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.