Purpose: To investigate the anti-diabetic potential of
Picralima nitida
leaf extracts
in vitro.
Methods: The current study evaluated the anti-diabetic potential of
Picralima nitida leaf via
in vitro inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase using the acetone, water and ethanol extracts. Preliminary phytochemical analysis was performed on the acetone, aqueous and ethanol extracts of
Picralima nitida leaf. The α-amylase inhibitory potentials of the extracts were investigated by reacting different concentrations of the extracts with α-amylase and starch solution while α-glucosidase inhibition was determined by pre-incubating α-glucosidase with different concentrations of the extracts followed by the addition of p-nitrophenylglucopyranoside (pNPG). The mode(s) of inhibition of both enzymes was determined using Lineweaver-Burke plot.
Results: The acetone extract of
Picralima nitida displayed the most effective inhibition of both α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC
50) of 6.50 and 3.00 mg/ml, respectively. The results also showed that the extracts contain both non-competitive and competitive inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase respectively. The results of phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids and reducing sugars.
Conclusion: The observed inhibitions of α-amylase and α-glucosidase suggest that the leaf extracts of
P.nitida may be useful in the management of diabetes mellitus. This buttresses the traditional use of
P.nitida for the management of sugar-related disorders in some parts of Nigeria.
