Discovery of β-glucosidase inhibitors from a chemically engineered extract prepared through ethanolysis.

A series of vegetal extracts have been chemically altered by ethanolysis. The effect of the reaction on the inhibition of the enzyme β-glucosidase properties of the mixtures was studied using thin layer chromatography (TLC) with biodetection. Glucosidase inhibitory activity guided fractionation of one of the produced chemically engineered extracts led to the isolation of apigenin and ethyl p-cumarate. Both compounds were generated during the chemical modification step.