Studies on the potential antioxidant properties of Senecio stabianus Lacaita (Asteraceae) and its inhibitory activity against carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes

• Published in: Natural product research Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. 393 - 404
• Main Authors: Tundis, Rosa, Menichini, Federica, Loizzo, Monica R., Bonesi, Marco, Solimene, Umberto, Menichini, Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Group 01-03-2012
• Subjects: alpha-Amylases - metabolism; alpha-Glucosidases - metabolism; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Enzyme Inhibitors - chemistry; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Senecio - chemistry; Senecio stabianus Lacaita; terpenes; α-amylase inhibition; α-glucosidase inhibition
• ISSN: 1478-6419; 1478-6427
• DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2010.488233

This study showed for the first time the antioxidant and hypoglycaemic properties of the methanol, n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts from Senecio stabianus Lacaita, a plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family. The antioxidant activities were carried out using two different in vitro assays, namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) test. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest activity with inhibitory concentration 50% (IC
50
) values of 35.5 and 32.7 µg mL
−1
on DPPH test and ABTS test, respectively. This activity may be related to a good total phenol and flavonoid content. All extracts were also tested for their potential inhibitory activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase digestive enzymes. The n-hexane extract exhibited the highest α-amylase inhibition with an IC
50
value of 0.21 mg mL
−1
. Through bioassay-guided fractionation processes seven fractions (A-G) were obtained and tested. Based on the phytochemical analysis, the activity of n-hexane extract may be related to the presence of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.