Inhibition of α-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase, and antioxidant property of Myrcia hatschbachii D. Legrand containing gallic and ellagic acids

Abstract

Several species of the Myrcia genus have been used in folk medicine to treat diabetes. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase in the crude extract (EBF) and in the ethyl acetate fraction (FFA) of Myrcia hatschbachii, as well as to identify isolated phenolic compounds and to evaluate the antioxidant property and preliminary in vitro toxicity against Artemia salina. EBF (IC50: 3.21 μg/mL) and FFA (IC50: 1.14 μg/mL) showed inhibitory activity superior to acarbose (IC50: 193.65 μg/mL). In addition, they showed inhibitory effects of pancreatic lipase (IC50: 556.58 μg/mL for EBF and 532.68 μg/mL for FFA), antioxidant potential, absence of preliminary toxicity and presence of gallic and ellagic acids in FFA. The relevant results in the inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase motivate new studies for the development of herbal medicines that assist in the treatment of diabetic patients.