Five traditionally used antidiabetic native medicinal plants of Mauritius, namely, Stillingia lineata (SL), Faujasiopsis flexuosa (FF), Erythroxylum laurifolium (EL), Elaeodendron orientale (EO), and Antidesma madagascariensis (AM), were studied for possible α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory property, glucose entrapment, and amylolysis kinetics in vitro. Only methanolic extracts of EL, EO, and AM (7472.92 ± 5.99, 1745.58 ± 31.66, and 2222.96 ± 13.69 μg/mL, resp.) were found to significantly (P < 0.05) inhibit α-amylase and were comparable to acarbose. EL, EO, AM, and SL extracts (5000 μg/mL) were found to significantly (P < 0.05) inhibit α-glucosidase (between 87.41 ± 3.31 and 96.87 ± 1.37% inhibition). Enzyme kinetic studies showed an uncompetitive and mixed type of inhibition. Extracts showed significant (P < 0.05) glucose entrapment capacities (8 to 29% glucose diffusion retardation index (GDRI)), with SL being more active (29% GDRI) and showing concentration-dependent activity (29, 26, 21, 14, and 5%, resp.). Amylolysis kinetic studies showed that methanolic extracts were more potent inhibitors of α-amylase compared to aqueous extracts and possessed glucose entrapment properties. Our findings tend to provide justification for the hypoglycaemic action of these medicinal plants which has opened novel avenues for the development of new phytopharmaceuticals geared towards diabetes management.

We aimed to investigate the inhibitory potential of three medicinal plants (Hedysarum varium, Onobrychis hypargyrea, and Vicia truncatula) from Turkey against key enzymes involved in human pathologies, namely, diabetes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), neurodegenerative disorders (tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase, and butyrylcholinesterase), and hyperpigmentation (tyrosinase). The antioxidant potential, phenolic and flavonoid content of ethyl acetate, and methanolic and aqueous extracts were investigated using in vitro assays. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC), β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH•), 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+), cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and metal chelating activity on ferrous ions were used to evaluate the antioxidant capabilities of the extracts. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the extracts on cholinesterase, tyrosinase, and α-amylase were significantly higher than the references, galantamine, kojic acid, and acarbose, respectively. The half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) of the extracts on TAC, CUPRAC, and FRAP were significantly higher than trolox. The phenol and flavonoid contents of the plant extracts were in the range 20.90 ± 0.190–83.25 ± 0.914 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 1.45 ± 0.200–39.71 ± 0.092 mg rutin equivalent/g extract, respectively. The plants were found to possess moderate antioxidant capacities and interesting inhibitory action against key enzymes.

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The present study aims to highlight the therapeutic potential of Asphodeline lutea (AL), a wild edible plant of the Mediterranean diet. Roots, aerial parts, and flowers of AL at two different phenological stages were collected from three locations in Italy. The inhibitory activities of extracts on strategic enzymes linked to human diseases were assessed. The antioxidant properties were evaluated in vitro, using six standard bioassays. The phenolic and anthraquinone profiles were also established using HPLC-PDA. Zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper contents were also determined. All the samples inhibited acetylcholinesterase (from 1.51 to 2.20 mg GALAEs/g extract), tyrosinase (from 7.50 to 25.3 mg KAEs/g extract), and α-amylase (from 0.37 to 0.51 mmol ACAEs/g extract). Aloe-emodin and physcion were present in all parts, while rhein was not detected. The phenolic profile and the heavy metals composition of specimens gathered from three different regions of Italy were different. It can be argued that samples collected near the street can contain higher concentrations of heavy metals. The experimental data confirm that the A. lutea species could be considered as a potential source of bioactive metabolites, and its consumption could play a positive and safe role in human health maintenance.

Ethyl acetate, methanol, and water extracts prepared by maceration, Soxhlet, and ultrasonication were profiled and studied using in vitro and in silico methodologies.

Prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and hyperpigmentation using medicinal plants has attracted increasing attention during the past few decades. In this study, Colutea cilicica Boiss. & Balansa extracts (ethyl acetate, methanol, and water) were evaluated against key enzymes involved in neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and hyperpigmentation. The antioxidant (free radical scavenging, reducing power, β-carotene/ linoleic acid, and phosphomolybdenum) and metal chelation properties were also investigated. The methanol extracts of C. cilicica vigorously inhibited the activities of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase (1.33 and 0.68 mg galantamine equivalents (GALAE)/g extract, respectively). It was observed that C. cilicica extracts possessed a higher inhibitory potential for α-glucosidase (2.71-1.23 mmol acarbose equivalents (ACAE)/g extract) than that for α-amylase (0.57-0.12 mmol ACAE/g extract). The water extract of C. cilicica showed potent radical scavenging capacity against DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (42.46 and 57.70 mg trolox equivalents (TE)/g extract, respectively). Phytochemical determination showed that C. cilicica water extract (17.26 mg rutin equivalents (RE)/g extract) was rich in flavonoids compared with ethyl acetate and methanol extracts (2.78 and 2.83 mg RE/g extract, for the respective extracts). These findings reveal the interesting potential of C. cilicica as a valuable source of phytochemicals that can be used against common noncommunicable diseases, particularly against enzymes involved in neurodegenerative diseases.

The phenolic composition, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of two mushrooms (Trametes gibbosa and Trametes hirsuta) were characterised for the first time which proved to be potential candidates for new functional food formulations.

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