Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2020)

Background: Dialium guineense belongs to the Leguminosae family, and grows in dense forests in Africa along the southern edge of the Sahel. The bark, leaves and fruits of the plant have medicinal properties and are used to treat diseases such as stomatitis, toothache, fever, diarrhoea, palpitations, and microbial infections. Aim: The present study investigated the α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of extracts of Dialium guineense stem bark. Methods:Aqueous and ethanol extracts of D. guineense stem bark were prepared using standard method. Alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibitory activities of the extracts were determined in vitro. Acarbose was used as the reference drug. Results: The results showed that both extracts of Dialium guineense possess α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. The aqueous extract (IC₅₀ = 76.55 ± 3.01 µg/mL) showed a better α-amylase inhibitory activity when compared with the ethanol extract (IC₅₀ = 137.78 ± 5.18 µg/mL) (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the corresponding α-glucosidase inhibitory activity between the two extracts (p > 0.05). The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the extracts were concentration-dependent, and comparable to those of acarbose. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that Dialium guineense shows great potential in the treatment of Diabetes mellitus.