Preliminary studies of Indonesian Eugenia polyantha leaf extracts as inhibitors of key enzymes for type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Eugenia polyantha leaves are widely used in traditional diabetic treatment and as food additives in Indonesia. Extracts of the leaves showed potential inhibitory effect on alpha glucosidase activity in vitro. This study is an effort to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of E. Polyantha leaves extracts. The methanol-water extracts showed the highest activity (IC50 71 μg mL-1), more than the methanol extracts (92 μg mL-1) and water extracts (73 μg mL-1). The extracts at 100 mg kg-1 BW dose also demonstrated a hypoglycemia effect in the in vivo assay test against alloxan induced diabetic rats. Repeated bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanol-water extracts afforded two active compounds, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid and 4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxy benzoic acid, with 27 and 35% inhibition of alpha glucosidase activity, respectively.