INHIBITORY ACTIVITIES

Diabetes is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia or elevated blood sugar proven to be a major health problem. This study was aimed at evaluating in vitro inhibitory activities of methanol, n-hexane, dichloromethane, and aqueous extracts of Canavalia ensiformis seed on alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase at varying concentrations. Extraction of methanol, n-hexane, dichloromethane and aqueous extracts of Canavalia ensiformis seed was carried out in this study. Phytochemical screening of the extracts of Canavalia ensiformis seed was carried out using standard methods. Dichloromethane and n- hexane extracts of Canavalia ensiformis seed were used for GC-MS analysis. Five different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80, 100µg/ml) of each extract were used in this experiment. The standard drug acarbose was prepared using the same concentration range. The alpha amylase inhibition assay showed that the methanol with IC50 value of 13.03 µg/mL was the most potent in inhibiting alpha amylase while for the alpha glucosidase inhibition assay it was the aqueous extract with IC50 value of 43.78 µg/mL when compared to the other extracts. The Phytochemical screening results of methanol, n-hexane, dichloromethane and aqueous extracts of C. ensiformis seed revealed the presence of starch, glycosides, terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids, and phenols. GC-MS analysis of dichloromethane extract showed the presence of anti-diabetic compounds such as n-Hexadecanoic acid, 3-Eicosene and p-xylene. The results obtained in this study indicate that the extract of the C. ensiformis possesses alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibitory activities, thus supporting the traditional use of C. ensiformis seed extract by traditional healers for management of type II diabetes. In addition, the alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase activities of C. ensiformis seed extracts observed in this study, may be one of the mechanisms of action of the seed in reducing elevated blood glucose levels as observed in diabetes mellitus.