title: In vitro inhibitory activities of plants used in Lebanon traditional medicine against angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and digestive enzymes related to diabetes.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036 Rende (CS), Italy. mr.loizzo@unical.it
authors.forename: Monica R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Loizzo
authors.forename: Antoine M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Saab
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tundis
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonesi
authors.forename: Vitaliano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piccolo
authors.forename: Giancarlo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Statti
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Cindio
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000516:alpha-Amylases; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases