Picralima nitida seed extracts possess antioxidant and anti-diabetes properties

In this study, researchers from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria investigated the antioxidant potential of seed extracts obtained from Picralima nitida and their ability to inhibit a-amylase and a-glucosidase. The results of their study were published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research.

• P. nitida or akuamma is a medicinal plant native to Africa.
• For their study, the researchers used three solvents, namely, 70 percent methanol, distilled water, and coconut water, to prepare extracts from akuamma seeds.
• They used DPPH radical scavenging assay, FRAP assay, Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) assay, Hydroxyl Radical Averting Capacity (HORAC) assay, Total Phenol Content (TPC) assay, and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) assay to determine the antioxidant potential of the seed extracts.
• They also subjected different concentrations of the extracts (0.1-0.5 milligrams/milliliter [mg/mL]) to a-amylase and a-glucosidase assays to evaluate the extracts’ inhibitory activities and IC50 values.
• The researchers reported that the akuamma seed extracts showed significant antioxidant potential.
• The extracts’ inhibitory potential also compared favorably with acarbose, the standard they used for the a-amylase and a-glucosidase assays.
• Among the three, the methanolic extract showed the highest inhibitory activity toward a-amylase and a-glucosidase. It also had the highest antioxidant capacity and the lowest IC50 value.

Based on these results, the researchers concluded that akuamma seed extracts have potent antioxidant properties and can be used as effective natural a-amylase and a-glucosidase inhibitors for the treatment of diabetes.

Journal Reference:

Akinwunmi KF, Amadi CV. ASSESSMENT OF ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIABETIC PROPERTIES OF PICRALIMA NITIDA SEED EXTRACTS. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. 10 January 2019;13(1):9–17. DOI: 10.5897/jmpr2018.6680