Inhibitory effect of Amomum villosum water extracts on α-glucosidase activity

The periodic rise and frequency of diabetes mellitus (DM) have pressured into the quest for other possible anti-diabetic remedies from medicinal plants. The foremost strategies engaged in the lessening of gastrointestinal glucose levels by the hindrance of carbohydrate digesting enzyme prominently as alpha-glucosidase. Acarbose, currently used as an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, is a useful treatment option for the management of hyperglycemia in type-2 diabetes. However, acarbose has been associated with various adverse effects due to its inhibitory action on alpha-amylase. In this experiment, we investigated the dried fruits of Amomum villosum Lomb or Amomum fruits on in vitro rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase, porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase, alpha-glucose oxidase (Maltase, Sucrase, Glucoamylase) inhibition assays and in vivo sucrose and amylose loading test in rat model. AVE at concentrations of 1, 3, and 5 mg/mL displayed an significant inhibition against sucrase activity at 39.01 +/- 5.96%, 53.68 +/- 2.21% and 93.21 +/- 3.78%, respectively, similar to the inhibitory effects of acarbose. AVE at concentrations of 1, 3, and 5 mg/mL also stated an inhibitory effect against maltase at 32.87 +/- 1.86%, 34.62 +/- 6.06% and 58.36 +/- 1.30, respectively. alpha-Glucosidase activity was significantly reduced by Amomum villosum water extract (AVE). AVE at concentrations of 1, 3, and 5 mg/mL revealed a concentration based inhibitory effect against rat alpha-glucosidase of 31.99 +/- 6.79%, 48.85 +/- 4.75%, and 62.58 +/- 6.69%, respectively. However, the effect remained lower than reference drug acarbose. Additionally, AVE showed significantly lower alpha-amylase inhibitory effect than acarbose. The results acquired from this experiment proposes the possible use of AVE as another natural foundation for the type-2 diabetes mellitus treatment with lesser side effects.