Maltase Inhibitory Activity of Aqueous Extracts of Zingiber officinale Rosc. and Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn.

Context: An important approach to diabetes treatment involves the regulation of postprandial hyperglycemia by delaying the release of glucose into the bloodstream using inhibitors for carbohydrate digesting enzymes such as maltase. Current synthetic antidiabetic drugs are associated with side effects that have restricted their usage. Antidiabetic plants such as Zingiber officinale and Trigonella foenum-graecum, commonly used as medicinal herbs in India, provide an attractive alternative as a source of maltase inhibitors. Aim: This study aimed to determine maltase inhibitory activity in antidiabetic plants in comparison with that of a synthetic drug, Acarbose, used as a positive control. Study Design: In vitro Enzyme Inhibition Assay. Materials and Methods: Aqueous plant extracts were prepared using rhizome of Z. officinale and leaves of T. foenum-graecum. Varying concentrations of the aqueous plant extract were tested for maltase inhibitory activity using crude yeast maltase enzyme. Statistical Analysis: Unpaired, two tailed t-test was used to detect the significant difference between the mean maltase enzyme activity of the control and that of the test. Results: The aqueous extract of T. foenum-graecum exhibited a higher potent maltase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value of 1.05% as compared to that of the aqueous extract of Z. officinale with IC₅₀ value of 2.13%. Acarbose showed the highest potency of maltase inhibition with an IC₅₀ value of 0.014%. Conclusion: Z. officinale and T. foenum-graecum have significant maltase inhibitory activity (p <0.05). Thus, a contributing factor to the antidiabetic property of the two plants may be attributed to their maltase inhibitory activity.