In vitro Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Inhibitory Potentials of Ficus asperifolia Miq. and Galega officinalis Leaf Extracts

Abstract

Empirical Studies has shown that hyperglycemia is a major indicator and principal cause of complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Blood glucose primarily originates from the hydrolysis of carbohydrates catalyzed by digestive enzymes. Inhibition of these enzymes is crucial for the treatment and management of diabetes. The aimed of this study was geared towards evaluating the antioxidant properties of Ficus asperifolia and Galega officinalis leaf extracts and their inhibitory potentials on digestive enzymes. Leaves extracts of Ficus asperifolia and Galega officinalis were extracted sequentially with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and distilled water with regards to their degree of polarity index. Antioxidant activity of the leave extracts was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant (FRAP) methods. Furthermore, the inhibitory activities of the plant extracts on α-amylase and α-glucosidase were determined, and also screening of phytochemicals of the plant extracts as well. The findings demonstrated that ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from Galega officinalis leaves contained the highest total phenolic content compared to Ficus asperifolia with values of 28.36 ± 0.03 µg/mL and 19.39 ± 2.90 µg/mL respectively. These two solvent extracts also showed elevated total flavonoid contents, as recorded with value 195.33 ± 0.03 µg/mL for ethyl acetate and that of methanol as 223.67 ± 0.01µg/mL. Furthermore, ethyl acetate and methanol Leave extracts from both plants demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activities against DPPH, with IC₅₀ values of 22.72 ± 0.03 µg/mL and 34.74 ± 0.06 µg/mL, respectively. And against FRAP, with IC₅₀ values of 156.79 ± 0.01 µg/mL and 178.19 ± 0.14 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, methanol leave extract from Galega officinalis showed the most potent α-amylase inhibitory effect with value (IC₅₀ = 8.62 ± 0.23 µg/mL), while ethyl acetate leave extract from Ficus asperifolia exhibited the strongest inhibition of α-glucosidase with value (IC₅₀ = 10.15 ± 0.26 µg/mL). Kinetic studies showed that methanol leave extract of Galega officinalis are non-competitive inhibitors of α-amylase whereas ethyl acetate leave extract of Ficus asperifolia are non-competitive inhibitors of α-glucosidase compared to the standard drugs (acarbose) which bind competitively unto the enzymes. considering these, the in vitro studies reveal the thera