In vitro inhibitory activities of plants used in Lebanon traditional medicine against angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and digestive enzymes related to diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
In recent years the use of medicinal plants has been growing worldwide and this is particularly true in Lebanon. In the present investigation we report the inhibitory activity against digestive enzymes related to diabetes and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) of extracts of nine plant species collected in Lebanon, where they have a traditional use against diabetes.


METHODS
In order to evaluate if the extraction procedure could influence the activity we decided to perform different extractions with methanol, n-hexane and chloroform of Calamintha origanifolia, Satureja thymbra, Prangos asperula, Sideritis perfoliata, Asperula glomerata, Hyssopus officinalis, Erythraea centaurium, Marrubium radiatum and Salvia acetabulosa and test each of them.


CONCLUSIONS
Marrubium radiatum and Salvia acetabulosa methanol extracts exerted the highest activity against alpha-amylase (IC(50) 61.1 and 91.2 microg/ml, respectively) and alpha-glucosidase (IC(50) 68.8 and 76.9 microg/ml, respectively). The same extracts exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against ACE with IC(50) of 72.7 and 52.7 microg/ml, respectively. The results support the traditional use of some the species examined.
Loizzo
Monica R
MR
Faculty of Pharmacy, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036 Rende (CS), Italy. mr.loizzo@unical.it
Saab
Antoine M
AM
Tundis
Rosa
R
Menichini
Federica
F
Bonesi
Marco
M
Piccolo
Vitaliano
V
Statti
Giancarlo A
GA
de Cindio
Bruno
B
Houghton
Peter J
PJ
Menichini
Francesco
F
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007861:Lebanon; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000516:alpha-Amylases; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases