α-Glucosidase and aldose reductase inhibitory activities from the fruiting body of Phellinus merrillii.

The inhibitory activity from the isolated component of the fruiting body Phellinus merrillii (PM) was evaluated against α-glucosidase and lens aldose reductase from Sprague-Dawley male rats and compared to the quercetin as an aldose reductase inhibitor and acarbose as an α-glucosidase inhibitor. The ethanol extracts of PM (EPM) showed the strong α-glucosidase and aldose reductase activities. α-Glucosidase and aldose reductase inhibitors were identified as hispidin (A), hispolon (B), and inotilone (C), which were isolated from EtOAc-soluble fractions of EPM. The above structures were elucidated by their spectra and comparison with the literatures. Among them, hispidin, hispolon, and inotilone exhibited potent against α-glucosidase inhibitor activity with IC(50) values of 297.06 ± 2.06, 12.38 ± 0.13, and 18.62 ± 0.23 μg/mL, respectively, and aldose reductase inhibitor activity with IC(50) values of 48.26 ± 2.48, 9.47 ± 0.52, and 15.37 ± 0.32 μg/mL, respectively. These findings demonstrated that PM may be a good source for lead compounds as alternatives for antidiabetic agents currently used. The importance of finding effective antidiabetic therapeutics led us to further investigate natural compounds.