Comparative α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Salvia officinalis L., Thymus sipyleus Boiss., and Lavandula stoechas L.
Abstract
One of the most important strategies in the management of type 2 diabetes is controlling postprandial hyperglycemia, and α-glucosidase inhibitors are commonly used to achieve this. However, the side effects that may arise from the long-term use of synthetic inhibitors have increased interest in naturally derived alternatives. In this study, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of ethanol extracts from Thymus sipyleus Boiss., Salvia officinalis L., and Lavandula stoechas L. were evaluated in comparison with acarbose, a reference inhibitor. The results showed that all plant extracts examined exhibited strong inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. The highest inhibitory activity was found in S. officinalis (IC50: 2.44±0.086 µg/mL); This was followed by T. sipyleus (2.71±0.40 µg/mL) and acarbose (2.85 ± 0.23 µg/mL). L. stoechas also exhibited significant but lower inhibitory activity (5.68 ± 0.05 µg/mL). The higher α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of S. officinalis and T. sipyleus extracts compared with acarbose suggests that these species may represent promising natural sources of α-glucosidase inhibitors. While the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of S. officinalis has been previously reported, data regarding T. sipyleus and L. stoechas remain limited. This study provides novel comparative data on the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of these three species and highlights their potential as promising natural sources of α-glucosidase inhibitors for further investigation.
Keywords
α-Glucosidase inhibition, Salvia officinalis, Thymus sipyleus, Lavandula stoechas, Type 2 diabetes mellitus
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