α-Amylase inhibitors from an Indonesian medicinal herb, Phyllanthus urinaria.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus and associated diseases are an increasing problem around the world. One of the hyperglycemic remedies is glucose absorption reduction by suppressing carbohydrate digestion due to utilization of α-amylase inhibitors.


RESULTS
Prospective herbs were analyzed by in vitro enzyme assay to evaluate their inhibitory activity against porcine pancreatic amylase (PPA), and it was found that Phyllanthus urinaria and three other herbs to showed a potent inhibitory activity. A 50% aqueous methanol-soluble extract of the leaves of P. urinaria was chromatographed using a silica gel column. The active fractions were further purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography to isolate active principles against PPA. Structural determination revealed that these isolated compounds were gallic acid, corilagin, and macatannin B, and showed mild activity against PPA (activity in 1 mmol L⁻¹ concentration: 23%, 21%, 33%, respectively).


CONCLUSION
P. urinaria extracts show inhibitory activity against PPA. This activity, together with the information on isolated compounds, may benefit further exploration of P. urinaria utilization in the management of borderline diabetes patients.
['Gunawan-Puteri|Maria D P T|MD|', 'Kato|Eisuke|E|', 'Kawabata|Jun|J|']
D000818:Animals D055808:Drug Discovery D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors D020834:Ethnopharmacology D005707:Gallic Acid D005960:Glucosides D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents D007214:Indonesia D015394:Molecular Structure D055292:Pancreatic alpha-Amylases D029803:Phyllanthus D010936:Plant Extracts D018515:Plant Leaves D018547:Plant Stems D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy D034421:Sus scrofa
α-amylase inhibitor Indonesian medicinal herb diabetes Phyllantus urinaria ellagitannin jamu