Abstract
Diabetes is a chronic condition which is increasingly progressing throughout the world. To treat it, several methods are used, among which is medicinal plants that still have an unknown mechanism of action. The objective of this work is to evaluate the in vitro hypoglycemic effect of the extracts of the underground part of Atractylis gummifera, a member of Asteraceae used in traditional Moroccan medicine. A phytochemical study of the aqueous extracts (decocted, infused and macerated) and organic extracts (methanol, methanol macerate, chloroformic, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether), and a phytochemical screening of the different secondary metabolites was done. The antidiabetic power of the extracts of A. gummifera by testing the inhibitory activity of ?-amylase, ?-glucosidase and ?-galactosidase, which are enzymes responsible for the digestion of polysaccharides was determined. The extracts of A. gummifera are very rich in flavonoids and tannins, and are inhibitory to?-amylase and ?-glucosidase, mainly the macerate of methanol with IC50 values of 0.557 ± 0.013 and 0.743 ± 0.017 mg / mL respectively. Higher ?-galactosidase inhibitory potential than quercetin was observed for aqueous macerates and methanol with IC50 values of 2.23 ± 0.012 and 2.443 ± 0.071 mg / mL respectively. The extracts of A. gummifera possess a significant inhibitory activity of the alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase and beta-galactosidase enzymes, in particular the macerate of methanol followed by the aqueous macerate, among the eight extracts tested.
Highlights
Herbal medicine is important traditionally, and is widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus [1]
The results obtained showed that A. gummifera extracts possess inhibitory activity of α-amylase, αglucosidase and β-galactosidase, and that the Extracts α-amylase α-glucosidase β-galactosidase
We can conclude that the toxicity of A. gummifera is not due to the alkaloids but rather to two glycosides which are: the atractyloside discovered by Lefranc in 1868 [34] and gummiferine, which is a derivative of atractyloside but of much greater toxicity, which was discovered by Daniali et al In 1964 [35]
Summary
Herbal medicine is important traditionally, and is widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus [1]. In Morocco, the plant, which is available in all herbal medicine shops, is frequently found in the wild, but not in the desert, arid regions and the Anti-Atlas [10] This plant is widely used in traditional medicine to stop bleeding, facilitate deliveries, and treat edema, psoriasis and epilepsy [11, 12, 13]. This plant has a beneficial effect on free radical scavenging and in the prevention of oxidative stress because its extracts have the ability to reduce in vitro the radical DPPH and inhibit the reducing power of iron [14], which are both triggers of several metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus [15]. The present study focuses on diabetes mellitus which is often treated by oral antidiabetic drugs that improve insulin sensitivity, stimulate its secretion, and/or decrease the digestion of carbohydrates by the inhibition of the enzymes responsible for transforming polysaccharides into glucose in the digestive tract [17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
