Phenolics Profiling of <i>Carpobrotus edulis</i> (L.) N.E.Br. and Insights into Molecular Dynamics of Their Significance in Type 2 Diabetes Therapy and Its Retinopathy Complication

Abstract

Adverse effects associated with synthetic drugs in diabetes therapy has prompted the search for novel natural lead compounds with little or no side effects. Effects of phenolic compounds from Carpobrotus edulis on carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes through in vitro and in silico methods were assessed. Based on the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50), the phenolic extract of the plant had significant (p O-rutinoside (−45.398 ± 4.568 kcal/mol) and luteolin-7-O-beta-d-glucoside (−45.102 ± 4.024 kcal/mol) for aldose reductase relative to respective reference standards. Put together, the findings are suggestive of the compounds as potential constituents of C. edulis phenolic extract responsible for the significant hypoglycemic effect in vitro; hence, they could be exploited in the development of novel therapeutic agents for type-2 diabetes and its retinopathy complication.

Keywords

• aldose reductase
• alpha-amylase
• alpha-glucosidase
• enzyme inhibitors
• molecular dynamics simulation
• phenolics