Abstract

This investigation is aimed at evaluating the polyphenol profile, antioxidant, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory and the hypoglycemic activities of Acalypha hispida leaf extract in vivo. Powdered Acalypha hispida leaves were macerated with 70 and 96 % ethanol and decocted in distilled water. The filtrates were evaporated to obtain dry extracts. The extracts were found to have a polyphenol profile (ultraperformance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight) and to exhibit antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition (spectrophotometer) in vitro and a hypoglycemic effect in vivo. This study revealed that the number of polyphenol subclasses of the 96 % ethanol extract was greater than that of the other extracts. The 70 and 96 % ethanol and aqueous extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity (IC50<10 µg/ml). The 96 % ethanol extract showed very high inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities. A hypoglycemic assay of the 96 % ethanol extract at 300 mg/kg dose exhibited a significant hypoglycemic activity in experimental rats. The present results suggested that the ethanol extract of Acalpha hispida leaves could be an effective hyperglycemic agent acting through inhibiting α-glucosidase and α-amylase.