Pages: 5-13

Abstract

Diabetes is a multi-factorial disease that requires a multiple therapeutic approach to adequately control the multiple metabolic abnormalities of the disease. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic potentials of the combination (2:1) of the aqueous leaf extracts of Leptadenia hastata (LH) and Momordica balsamina (MB). The in vitro inhibitory effects of the combination on antioxidant indices and key enzymes of carbohydrate hydrolysis and polyol pathway were evaluated and the test extract’s potencies were expressed in terms of IC50 values. The combination exhibited potent in vitro ferric reducing power (IC50 29.28±0.29 μg/ml), scavenging activity (IC50 90.05±25.89 μg/ml), alpha amylase (IC50 15.86±1.03 μg/ml), alpha glucosidase (IC50 330.93±26.47 μg/ml) and aldose reductase (IC50 37.30±2.27 μg/ml) inhibitory potentials when compared to the standard drugs. Findings of the present study demonstrated the anti-diabetic potential of the combination as evidenced by their observed in vitro biochemical activities. This provides a background for further studying the antidiabetic and antioxidant potentials of the polyherbal combination in animal models of diabetes.