Vegetos

Abstract

The use of medicinal therapies towards controlling hyperglycemia is a major step in managing diabetes and its complications. Of the various and numerous ways of lowering high blood sugar levels, one is by inhibiting key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. The purpose of this research is to compare the antioxidant potential, as well as enzyme inhibition activities, of aqueous extracts of Acacia nilotica seeds and pods. The antioxidant potential of the seed and pod were assessed using standard antioxidant protocols, including total phenolic and flavonoids content, DPPH scavenging ability, nitric oxide scavenging ability, and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. The extracts’ inhibitory potential against α-amylase and α-glucosidase was also determined. Our findings showed that the aqueous extract of seed contains higher amounts of total phenolics and flavonoids than the pod. In all antioxidant parameters, the seed showed higher antioxidant activity than the pod. The extract of seed showed a higher (p < 0.05) inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 0.08 µg/mL) than the pod (IC₅₀ = 4.28 µg/mL), whereas the extract of pod showed higher inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 5.49 µg/mL) than seed (IC₅₀ = 6.99 µg/mL). A. nilotica Fruit extracts exhibited auspicious antioxidant as well as antidiabetic properties. Nevertheless, continuous research is required in order to separate and recognize the components that are actively responsible for the antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects.