Combined methanolic extracts of selected medicinal plants in southern Philippines as a potential therapeutic tool for diabetes and obesity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15587/2519-4852.2025.328418Keywords:
Type 2 Diabetes, oxidative stress, obesity, AGEs, metabolic diseaseAbstract
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a significant public health problem with an increasing number of cases over the years. With this, the search for cheaper and natural alternatives also continues. Oxidative stress, obesity, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation contribute to T2D pathogenesis.
The aim. This study employs a range of functional assays to assess the antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and antiglycation activities of air-dried leaf methanolic extracts from the combined extract (CoM) of Clitoria ternatea, Ficus septica, Heliotropium indicum, and Celosia ignea. Additionally, quantitative screening was conducted to determine the presence of key bioactive secondary metabolites, particularly flavonoids and phenolic compounds.
Materials and methods. Glucose adsorption and glucose diffusion were utilized to measure the antihyperglycemic effects; BSA protein-methylglyoxal and BSA-glucose reactions were used as models for the glycation studies; the pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition was employed to assess the sample extracts’ potential lipid-lowering effects; and quantitative phytochemical screening for total phenolic compounds and total flavonoid contents was conducted for initial characterization of phytoconstituents presents.
Results. This study reported the glucose adsorption capacities of CoM at various concentrations (25, 50, 100 ppm) indicative of its potential antihyperglycemic effects. An in vitro glucose diffusion assay, on the other hand, showed a negative result (1.82±0.06 at 100-ppm) relative to the control. The CoM also exhibited antioxidant capacities via iron-reducing assay and H2O2 scavenging activity (57.86±8.28 % at 25-ppm). PPL inhibition was evaluated to indicate potential antiobesity and this study reported that CoM (75-ppm) inhibited 52.13±7.16 % enzyme activity. Antiglycation tests revealed that CoM extracts are potential inhibitors of AGEs formation as it (100-ppm) inhibited 72.23±2.71 % of the glycation (BSA-glucose model) and 55.46±13.43 % (BSA-MGO model). Phytochemical screening results support the presented properties with TPC and TFC of 11.29±2.10 GAE mg/ g sample and 5.83±0.03 QE mg/ g sample, respectively.
Conclusion. Overall, the combined methanolic plant extracts, CoM, may be utilized as a treatment strategy for oxidative stress-driven metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. While this provides promising results, further investigation must still be done on the bioactive compounds of the sample
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Copyright (c) 2025 Aaron L. Degamon, Misshell L. Lavilla, Orlie B. Basalo, Nesyl Mae O. Butong, Danical Necole P. Cabural, Maria Angelika M. Villarosa, Anelyn P. Bendoy, Charlie Jr. A. Lavilla

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