Ethanol extract of aristolochia repens mill. Stem inhibits the activities of some enzymes targeted in the treatment of diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Herbs are frequently used as alternative medicines in managing diabetes and associated complications in Nigeria with little or no scientific information on the antidiabetic efficacy of some of these plants. Aristolochia repens is one of such herbs used by herbalists in South-Western Nigeria in managing diabetes and associated problems. This study investigated the antidiabetic capacity of the stem extracts of A repens. A powdered sample of the dried plant was extracted in water as well as ethanol, and the α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and sorbitol dehydrogenase inhibitory activity of the concentrated extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. The ethanol extract of A. repens exhibited more effective α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and sorbitol dehydrogenase inhibitory potential with IC50 values of 33.25, 13.03, and 26.28 mg/mL respectively. Kinetic studies indicated that ethanol extract inhibited α-amylase uncompetitively, while α-glucosidase and sorbitol dehydrogenase were inhibited non-competitively. It can be concluded that the use of A. repens for managing diabetes mellitus and some of its complications could be due to its ability to inhibit these targeted enzymes usually inhibited in managing diabetes mellitus.