Anti-Diabetic and Antioxidant Potential of Saponin Extract of Leaves of Ziziphus Mauritiana

Abstract

Objective:  The saponin extract of  Ziziphus mauritiana was screened for antidiabetic and antioxidant potential.

Method: The methanolic extract of leaves of Ziziphus mauritiana was solvent extracted with water saturated n-butanol.  Both the layer where separated and the organic layer was acidified with 1 N KOH to obtain the raw saponin extract. The different concentrations of saponin extract was treated with alpha amylase enzyme and 1% starch solution in phosphate buffer (pH 6.9). Spectroscopic estimation of incubated extracts was done at 540 nm after stopping the reaction with di nitro salicylic acid reagent. The antioxidant activity of extract was evaluated by reducing power assay.  The saponin extract was mixed with equal volume of phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) and potassium ferricyanide (1%). The mixture was heated and treated with trichloro acetic acid (10%), which was further centrifuged and spectroscopically estimated at 700nm on the addition of freshly prepared ferric chloride solution (0.1%). The increase in absorbance as compare to standard indicates increase in reducing power.

Result: The saponin extract have produced significant alpha amylase enzyme inhibition and reducing capacity potential. The IC₅₀ value was observed to be 82.12µg/ml ± 0.60 and the reducing capacity was observed to more than standard Ascorbic acid.

Conclusion:  Saponin extract were found to be active towards alpha amylase inhibitory activity and elicit the reducing potential which significantly indicates their potent antioxidant activity.

Keywords: Ziziphus mauritiana, Antidiabetic activity, Antioxidant activity, Saponin extract.