title: α-Amylase inhibitors from an Indonesian medicinal herb, Phyllanthus urinaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus and associated diseases are an increasing problem around the world. One of the hyperglycemic remedies is glucose absorption reduction by suppressing carbohydrate digestion due to utilization of α-amylase inhibitors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prospective herbs were analyzed by in vitro enzyme assay to evaluate their inhibitory activity against porcine pancreatic amylase (PPA), and it was found that Phyllanthus urinaria and three other herbs to showed a potent inhibitory activity. A 50% aqueous methanol-soluble extract of the leaves of P. urinaria was chromatographed using a silica gel column. The active fractions were further purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography to isolate active principles against PPA. Structural determination revealed that these isolated compounds were gallic acid, corilagin, and macatannin B, and showed mild activity against PPA (activity in 1 mmol L⁻¹ concentration: 23%, 21%, 33%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P. urinaria extracts show inhibitory activity against PPA. This activity, together with the information on isolated compounds, may benefit further exploration of P. urinaria utilization in the management of borderline diabetes patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan. newflorentinamd@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Maria D P T
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gunawan-Puteri
authors.forename: Eisuke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kawabata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055808:Drug Discovery; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D005960:Glucosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007214:Indonesia; D015394:Molecular Structure; D055292:Pancreatic alpha-Amylases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D029803:Phyllanthus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005960:Glucosides; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C000598911:macatannin B; C049096:corilagin; D005707:Gallic Acid; D055292:Pancreatic alpha-Amylases