ALPHA GLUCOSIDASE AND ALPHA AMYLASE INHIBITORY ACTIVITIES OF VARIOUS SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF MARSDENIA BRUNONIANA

Diabetes mellitus is caused by the abnormality of carbohydrate metabolism which is linked to low blood insulin level or insensitivity of target organs to insulin. Glucose metabolizing enzyme inhibitors are class of compounds that help in managing diabetes mellitus. Despite considerable progress in the treatment of diabetes by oral hypoglycemic agents, search for newer drugs continues because the existing synthetic drugs have several limitations. The herbal drugs with antidiabetic activity are yet to be commercially formulated as modern medicines, even though they have been acclaimed for their therapeutic properties in the traditional systems of medicine. The Present study deals with screening of various solvent extracts of leaves of Marsdenia brunoniana for their efficacy to inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase in the in vitro systems. Potent and dose dependent inhibition of these carbohydrate digestive enzymes was observed and the results were comparable to standard drug acarbose. This enzyme inhibition provided a strong in vitro evidence for confirmation of various leaf extracts of Marsdenia brunoniana as excellent antidiabetic remedy. These results provide an intense rationale for further in vivo and clinical study