Cytotoxicity, Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetic Activities of Heteromorpha arborescens (Spreng.) Cham Leaves

This study investigated the cytotoxicity, anti-obesity and anti-diabetic potentials of blanched, aqueous and ethanol extracts of Heteromorpha arborescens (Spreng.) Cham leaves. The results revealed that both ethanol and aqueous extracts exhibited considerable inhibition against alpha-glucosidase (IC50 of 627.29 +/- 4.62 mu g/mL and 576.46 +/- 3.21 mu g/mL respectively), while the blanched extract showed weak alpha-glucosidase inhibition (IC50; 855.38 +/- 4.29 mu g/mL) and the aqueous extract showed the best alpha-amylase inhibition (IC50; 583.74 +/- 5.87 mu g/mL). However, weak alpha-amylase inhibition was observed in the ethanol (IC50; 724.60 +/- 4.33 mu g/mL) and blanched extracts (IC50; 791.63 +/- 3.76 mu g/mL). The toxicity of the extracts is indicated by LC50 values as 154.75 mu g/mL, 125 mu g/mL and 90.58 mu g/mL for ethanol, aqueous and blanched extracts respectively, indicating the blanched extract to be the most toxic. Moderate glucose utilization in both C3A and L6 cells was also observed for the aqueous and ethanol extracts which may be attributed to the relatively lower toxicity levels present. However, glucose utilization was very weak for the blanched extract, which may be due to higher level of cytotoxicity it possessed. Relatively weaker lipase inhibition was observed for the ethanol (IC50; 699.3 +/- 1.33 mu g/mL), aqueous (IC50; 811.52 +/- 3.52 mu g/mL) and blanched extracts (IC50; 1152.7 +/- 4.61 mu g/mL) compared to orlistat (IC50; 56.88 +/- 0.11 mu g/mL). However, there was no reasonable reduction in lipid accumulation observed in all the extract treated cells. These observations suggest that ethanol and aqueous extracts of H. arborescens leaf are promising as new agents for the treatment of diabetes and its acclaimed anti-obesity potentials are likely due to its lipase, alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibition.

Automated summary

The study investigated the cytotoxicity, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic potentials of different extracts of Heteromorpha arborescens leaves. Results showed that ethanol and aqueous extracts exhibited considerable inhibition against alpha-glucosidase, while blanched extract had weak alpha-glucosidase inhibition. Aqueous extract showed the best alpha-amylase inhibition. The extracts showed moderate glucose utilization in cells and relatively weaker lipase inhibition.