Phytochemical screening and in-vitro antidiabetic activity of ethanolic extract of hydrocharis laevigata humb bonpl Ex willd Byng christenh

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycaemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The present study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and in vitro antidiabetic activity of the ethanolic extract of Hydrocharis laevigata. The plant material was collected, authenticated, and subjected to Soxhlet extraction using ethanol. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, glycosides, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, and carbohydrates. The in vitro antidiabetic activity was assessed using α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. The ethanolic extract exhibited significant dose-dependent inhibitory activity. In the α-amylase assay, inhibition ranged from 21.01% to 49.12%, while α-glucosidase inhibition ranged from 20.04% to 41.29% at concentrations of 20–100 µg/ml. The activity was comparable to the standard drug acarbose. These findings suggest that Hydrocharis laevigata possesses promising antidiabetic potential and could serve as a natural therapeutic agent for the management of postprandial hyperglycaemia.