Alstonia scholaris R.Br Bark Extract as Diabetes Medicine

Abstract

Pulai (Alstonia scholaris R.Br) is one of leading vegetation for forest plantations. Besides being a timber forest product, it has high value on non-timber forest product such as animal feed, black board, chewing gum, and medicine. Utilization of pulai leaves as medicine such as for wounds, intestinal worms, malaria, hypertension, and heart disease had been reported, but research on pulai bark as antidiabetes is still limited. This study aimed to study phytochemical compound, toxicity, and in vitro inhibition activity of α-glucosidase enzyme of pulai bark crude extrac as antidiabetes. Pulai bark extraction done by maceration method using 96% ethanol resulted in 4.39% yield. Phytochemical test contained flavonoid, saponin, alkaloid and tannin. Pulai crude extract toxicity tested by Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) method, resulted in LC50 value of 461 μg/mL indicated moderate toxicity. Testing of in vitro inhibition activity of α-glucosidase enzyme resulted in IC50 value of 152.99 μg/mL. Based on the research, 96% of ethanol crude extract pulai bark had bioactivity, and flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins content appeared to have important role in inhibition activity of α-glucosidase enzyme.