Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is an endocrine disease due to glucose intolerance. The journey to fighting against DM is limited by the inability of some diabetic patients to have access to oral antidiabetic drugs. Alpha-amylase significantly contributes to the handling of hyperglycemia. This study investigated the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, the total phenolic content and the alpha-amylase inhibition activity of Anacardium occidentale Linn (cashew) stem bark in vitro. The total phenolic content of the extracts was found to be 3.572 ± 0.39 and 3.145 ± 0.28 mgg^-1. The DPPH free radical scavenging potency (IC₅₀) of acetone and ethanol extracts were 6.743 ± 1.16 μgmL^-1 and 9.186 ± 1.06 μgmL^-1 respectively while ascorbic acid was 2.796 ± 1.06 μgmL^-1.

The preliminary phytochemical screening showed that terpenes, phenols, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and saponins were present in all the extracts. On the contrary, sterols were tested negative in the extracts. The alpha amylase inhibitory potency (IC₅₀) of the acetone and ethanol extracts were 46.07 μgmL^-1 and 51.31 μgmL^-1 respectively and acarbose (the standard drug) was 24.97 μgmL^-1. The inhibition potency on α-amylase as observed together with its potential antioxidant capacity in this study proposes an efficient function of the stem bark of A. occidentale in management of DM specifically the type II and its related complications associated with oxidative stress.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, IC₅₀, α-amylase inhibition, DPPH, Antioxidant, Total phenolic content, Phytochemical screening, Acarbose, Gallic acid, Ascorbic acid