ANTI-DIABETIC, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF PALAQUIUM GUTTA (HOOK.) BAILL.

Abstract

Palaquium gutta (Hook.) Baill. is notable for its milky white latex, i.e. gutta percha. There is no known medical use of P. gutta except for the latex in dentistry. In this study, we explore the potentials of P. gutta bark, twig, and leaf methanolic extracts as anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-trypanosomal, and antimicrobial agents using in vitro models. In vitro toxicity and chemical analyses were also conducted. Among the three extracts, the bark exhibited the highest anti-diabetic activity by inhibiting α-glucosidase (97.6 ± 0.5%) and α-amylase (85.8 ± 2.1%). It also showed high anti-inflammatory effect based on lipoxygenase inhibition (93.1 ± 3.5%). All the three extracts displayed high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (97.6–98.4%). However, none of the extracts showed anti-cancer, anti-trypanosomal, or antimicrobial activities. The bark did not negatively affect the viability of Vero (kidney) cells, but it reduced the viability of WRL-68 (liver) cells to about 50%. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, and tannins in the bark. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis shows the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Based on these results, the bark of P. gutta showed the most promising anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. The observed effects could be attributed to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds.