Inhibitory Effects of Methanol Stem Bark Extracts of Sterculia Setigera and Ficus Platyphylla on Hemoglobin Glycosylation and α-amylase

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to abnormal insulin secretion, action or both. The synthetic available anti-diabetic drugs exhibited various adverse effects such as diarrhea, hypoglycemia. In recent years, scientists have turned their attention towards the medicinal plants which bear the rich source of metabolites which offer specific therapeutic function in the human body without any adverse effect. Sterculia setigera and Ficus platyphylla are medicinal plants that are used to treat various diseases and including diabetes traditionally. The present study is aimed at investigating the antidiabetic activity of the S. setigera and F. platyphylla methanol stem bark extracts. Phytochemical screening was determined using the standard method. In vitro studies were carried out using α-amylase and glycosylated hemoglobin inhibitory assay. The results of phytochemical constituents detected were flavonoids, Tannins, Steroids, Saponins, cardiac glycosides, Terpenoids, and Phenols. Inhibitory effects of both plant extracts were dose dependent against haemoglobin glycosylation and α-amylase. At highest concentration (25mg/ml), highest inhibitions were recorded in S. setigera (70.30%) and F. platyphylla (70.00%) which was comparable to Metformin (57. 2%). IC50 of Sterculia setigera (3.18mg/ml) and Ficus platyphylla (5.97mg/ml) were lower than metformin (8.84 mg/ml) against hemoglobin glycosylation. At concentration of (1.0mg/ml) S. setigera (72.21%) and F. platyphylla the (70.41%) showed the highest inhibitory effect which was not significantly different (p<0.05) compared to Voglibose (83.47%). In the present study, the IC50 of both extracts were higher (0.64 and 0.69mg/ml) and not significantly comparable to the Voglibose (0.26mg/ml). In conclusion, this study suggests that Sterculia setigera and Ficus platyphylla methanol stem bark extract possess hypoglycaemic potentials. This justifies their ethnomedicinal use for the treatment of diabetes.