Study of anti-diabetic, beta-carotene-bleaching inhibiting and iron chelating properties of Carissa opaca root extracts

Abstract Degenerative diseases diabetes and oxidative stress constitute a major health concern worldwide. Medicinal plants are expected to provide effective and affordable remedies. The present research explored antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of extracts of Carissa opaca roots. Methanolic extract (ME) was prepared through maceration. Its fractions were obtained, sequentially, in hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. An aqueous decoction (AD) of the finely ground roots was obtained by boiling in distilled water. The leftover biomass with methanol was boiled in water to obtain biomass aqueous decoction (BAD). The extracts and fractions showed considerable porcine pancreatic α-amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 in the range of 5.38-7.12 mg/mL while acarbose had 0.31 mg/mL. The iron chelating activity in terms of EC50 was 0.2939, 0.3429, 0.1876, and 0.1099 mg/mL for AD, BAD, ME, and EDTA, respectively. The EC50 of beta-carotene bleaching activity for AD, BAD, ME, and standard BHA were 4.10, 4.71, 3.48, and 2.79 mg/mL, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of AD and BAD were also considerable. In general, ethyl acetate fraction proved to be the most potent. Thus, the C. opaca roots had excellent antioxidant activity while having moderate α-amylase inhibitory potentia

Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities of Carissa opaca Stapf ex Haines Roots Extracts and Their Phytochemical Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Carissa opaca is a medicinal plant with rich folkloric applications. The present research was conducted to explore the tyrosinase inhibitory potential of aqueous decoction (AD) and methanolic extract (ME) of roots of C. opaca and its fractions in various solvents and their phytochemical analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AD of the dried powdered roots of C. opaca was prepared by boiling in water. ME was prepared by cold maceration. Its fractions were obtained in solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. The biomass left after extraction with methanol was boiled in water to get its decoction Biomass aqueous decoction (BAD). Tyrosinase inhibitory activities of the samples were studied according to a reported method. Chemical compounds in the samples were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS: The AD, BAD, and ME and its fractions displayed remarkable tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The IC50 of AD was 23.33 µg/mL as compared to 15.80 µg/mL of the standard arbutin and that of BAD was 21.24 µg/mL. The IC50 of ME was 34.76 µg/mL while that of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanolic, and aqueous fractions was 21.0, 44.73, 43.40, 27.66, and 25.06 µg/mL, respectively. The hexane fraction was thus most potent followed by aqueous fraction. By phytochemical analysis, campesterol, stigmasterol, gamma-sitosterol, alpha-amyrin, 9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol, 24-methylene-,(3 ß)-, lupeol, lup-20(29)-en-3-one, lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, acetate,(3 ß)-, 2(1H) naphthalenone, 3,5,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-4,8a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, and 2,3,3-trimethyl-2-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-6-methylenecyclohexanone were identified in the extracts by GC-MS. Other compounds included fatty acids and their esters. Some of these compounds are being first time reported here from this plant. CONCLUSIONS: The roots extracts exhibited considerable tyrosinase inhibitory activities, alluding to a possible application of the plant in cosmetic as whitening agent subject to further pharmacological studies. SUMMARY: The present study aimed to explore the tyrosinase inhibitory potential of aqueous decoction and methanolic extract of roots of Carissa opaca and its fractions in various solvents and their phytochemical constituents. GCMS analysis was conducted to identify the phytochemicals. The extracts and fractions of C. opaca roots showed remarkable anti-tyrosinase activities alluding to their possible application to treat disorders related to overproduction of melanin. Abbreviations used: AD: Aqueous decoction; ME: Methanolic extract; BAD: Biomass aqueous decoction; GC-MS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Lipase inhibitory activity of Lagenaria siceraria fruit as a strategy to treat obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To explore pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity under different extraction conditions in order to track the most potent extract. METHODS: The methanolic extract and its fractions in solvents of increasing polarity, ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water, were made through cold maceration. Extracts in ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and chloroform were similarly prepared. Aqueous extract was prepared through hot decoction method. A reported method was used to determine lipase inhibitory activity of extracts and fractions over wide ranges of concentrations. RESULTS: The extracts and fractions exhibited concentration dependent activity. The IC50 (µg/mL) values of methanolic, ethanolic, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethyl acetate (after washing with water) and aqueous decoction were 293.40, 266.47, 157.59, 182.12, 352.34, 257.00, and 190.00, respectively. The activity of chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts were close to that of the drug orlistat (IC50 146 µg/mL). Out of the fractions of the methanolic extract, the chloroform fraction was most active (IC50 189.6 µg/mL). The order of inhibitory activity of the fractions was as follows: chloroform＞ether＞n-butanolic＞aqueous＞ethyl acetate. The GC/MS analysis of the most active chloroform faction showed the presence of hexadecanoic acid, methyl hexadecanoate, isopropyl palmitate, methyl 9,12-octadecadienate, and methyl 9,12,15-octadecatrienoate. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that Lagenaria siceraria has potential to inhibit pancreatic lipase activity, suppressing lipid digestion and thereby diminishing entry of lipids into the body. Regular intake of aqueous decoction of the fruit may therefore be recommended for control of obesity. Fatty acids and their esters may play role as inhibitors of lipase.