High-performance thin-layer chromatography coupled attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared and NMR spectroscopy-based identification of α-amylase inhibitor from the aerial part of Asparagus racemosus Willd.

INTRODUCTION

α-Amylase inhibitors from natural sources are of interest for new drug development for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) coupled bioassay guided isolation of bioactive compounds has been improved within last few years.

OBJECTIVE

A microchemical derivatised HPTLC-coupled attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was employed for profiling α-amylase inhibitor from the aerial part of Asparagus racemosus Willd.

METHODOLOGY

Asparagus racemosus Willd. aerial part extracted with different solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol) and assayed to detect free radical scavengers and α-amylase inhibitor by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and starch-iodine assay method, respectively. HPTLC-coupled ATR-FTIR and NMR spectroscopy was used to identify the α-amylase inhibitor.

RESULTS

Methanolic extract of A. racemosus showed highest antioxidant activity (21.99 μg GAE/μL) where n-hexane extract showed lowest antioxidant activity (5.87 μg GAE/μL). The α-amylase inhibition was recorded as highest and lowest in ethyl acetate extract (13.13 AE/μL) and n-hexane extract (3.92 AE/μL), respectively. The deep blue zone of α-amylase sprayed TLC plate of extracts with hR  = 72 analysed for ATR-FTIR and NMR spectroscopy which revealed the presence of stigmasterol is responsible for α-amylase inhibition.

CONCLUSION

The present work establishes the α-amylase inhibiting properties of A. racemosus maintaining its use for the treatment of DM as a traditional medicine. Bioassay guided isolation through HPTLC-coupled ATR-FTIR and NMR spectroscopy offers an effective method for the exploration of bioactive compounds such as α-amylase inhibitor from complex plant extracts.