Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease. Decreasing postprandial hyperglycemia by retarding glucose absorption through inhibiting carbohydrates digesting enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) is one of many approaches used for the management of this disease. This study was aimed at evaluating the normoglycaemic potential of Helianthus annuus leaf. Methods: The effect of the in vitro inhibitory of different extracts (acetone, ethyl acetate and hexane) of the plant was assessed on the activities of diabetes-related enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase). Results: The hexane extract of H. annuus leaf displayed the best inhibitory activity against αamylase and α-glucosidase as indicated by the IC 50 values (3.92 ± 0.02 mg mL-1) and (3.29 ± 0.12 mg mL-1), respectively. Lineweaver-Burk plot of inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase by this extract showed that it was competitive and non-competitive mode, respectively. Conclusion: H. annuus leaf possesses hypoglycaemic potential which may be due to the inhibition of pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase.
Present antimalarial drugs have been related to several adverse side effects, including headache, depression, nausea, and itchy skin. Thus, exploring bioactive compounds from a natural origin, which possess drug-like properties with no side effects, is of great importance. This study was designed to assess the molecular relations obtainable between piperine, pipercide, and piperlongumine compounds isolated from Piper guineense Schumach. & Thonn. leaf and targeted receptor linked to malaria Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (pfDHFR) and Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (pfDHODH) for antimalarial properties. The result showed that piperine (−8.3 kcal/mol) from P. guineense binds to pfDHFR with high affinity and low free energy than the other compounds and standard ligand pyrimethamine (−7.8 kcal/mol). In contrast, pyrimethamine (−8.4 kcal/mol) and pipercide (−8.3 kcal/mol) show a better binding affinity to pfDHODH. Hence, the results provided insights into the development of better piperine and pipercide as a replacement to present antimalarial agents, with further analysis worth considering.
Summary
This work investigates the antiradical capacity and potential of Garcinia kola extracts to improve the biochemical markers associated with erectile function and its possible application in clinical treatment. Inhibitory properties of aqueous extract of G. kola on phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5), arginase, angiotensin I –converting enzyme (ACE), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in rat’s genitals tissues were evaluated. Likewise, G. kola extract was explored for reducing power (FRAP) and 1.1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging abilities. G. kola extract exhibited greater PDE-5 (IC50 = 47.52 ± 0.01 μg/mL), ACE (IC50 = 46.90 ± 0.87 μg/mL), AChE (IC50 = 44.85 ± 1.33 μg/mL) and arginase (IC50 = 47.71 ± 0.25 μg/mL) inhibitory activity in the corpus cavernosum tissue than PDE-5 (IC50 = 75.58 ± 2.04 μg/mL), ACE (IC50 = 53.00 ± 0.30 μg/mL), AChE (IC50 = 54.57 ± 1.50 μg/mL) and arginase (IC50 = 69.68 ± 2.42 μg/mL) inhibitory activity in the testicular tissue homogenate. Furthermore, G. kola exhibited radical scavenging abilities against FRAP and DPPH* radicals. Hence, our results revealed that G. kola extracts are good sources for the development of nutraceuticals and pharmacological properties with attributes to enhance erectile performance.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.