Alpha amylase inhibitor as an Anti-diabetic potential from medicinal plants: A Review

Alpha amylases cleave the starch like molecules and led to increase in blood sugar level in diabetic patients then in order to manage it the inhibition action is carried out by their inhibitors. The alpha-amylase inhibitors catalyses the process of endo-hydrolysis of alpha (1 -> 4) glycosidic linkage present in starch which ultimately led to decrease in the starch hydrolysis process. It also affects the carbohydrate absorption in the intestine. In 1945, the first alpha amylase inhibitor was reported from beans. It has already been isolated from various plant species namely, Hibiscus sabdariffa.L, Geranium pratense L and Cedrus libani A. Rich with inhibition percentage of 100, 43 and 31 respectively. The studies have already been reported on inhibitors and their interactions with human pancreatic alpha amylases are made .In-vitro and in vivo tests has already been done by various researchers which showed a significant drop in blood sugar level of a normoglycemic mice after an extract from the leaves of Bersama abbyssinica was tested for its potential effect as anti-diabetic.