Column chromatographic purification of the organic extract obtained from the roots of Withania somnifera yielded a biologically active withanolide compound WS-1 whose structure was established on the basis of spectroscopic evidences. Potent antibacterial activity was observed in this compound.

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Background: The use of medicinal plants as supplemental or alternative medicine is widespread around the world. For the development of new drugs, studies on these medicinal plants that include pharmacological and toxicological assessments are crucial. Objective: This work aimed to find the total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic potential of the traditionally used medicinal plant Mimosa rubicaulis Lam. Methods: The in vitro antidiabetic potential of methanolic extract and its fractions of the roots of M. rubicaulis were performed via enzyme (α-glucosidase and α-amylase) inhibition assays. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were carried out using 2,2 Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibiting methods. Well diffusion method is applied for antibacterial activity. Autodock vina was used for molecular docking. Results: The crude extract reported the highest inhibition activity against α-glucosidase with an IC50 value of 10.29 ± 0.35 μg/mL compared to the standard acarbose IC50 value of 5.653 ± 0.29 µg/mL. Similarly, the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction disclosed significant inhibition against α-amylase with an IC50 value of 108.7 ± 0.66 μg/mL compared to the standard drug’s IC50 value of 6.01 ± 0.14 µg/mL. Likewise, the EA fraction showed the maximum antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 11.89 ± 1.05μg/mL among the crude extract and its fractions. Conclusion: Mimosa rubicaulis was found to have α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition activity of this plant. Further studies on this plant are required to isolate potent compounds.

Diabetes mellitus is being severe health problem globally with an increasing number of patients every day. Due to the lack of effective and non-toxic medicine to cure diabetes, plants that are used in ethnomedicine may be a good source for antidiabetic drug discovery.  Plants of the Sarcococca genus are medicinally important and are used by local people for managing many diseases including diabetes. In the course of our continuous search of antidiabetic plants and pure compounds,  in vitro α-glucosidase, and α-amylase inhibition activity along with the antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of S. coriacea leaf ( Sc-A), S. coriacea stem (Sc-B), and dichloromethane fraction of methanolic extract of Sarcococca wallichi (Sw-D) were carried out. The research revealed dicholoromethane fraction of S. wallichii (Sw-D) with good inhibition of α- amylase enzyme (IC50= 53.79 ± 2.50), whereas Sc-B inhibits α-glucosidase (20.97±2.37) effectively. Similarly, Sc-A showed significant antioxidant activity with IC50=24.56±3.3. The total phenolic content on Sc-A and Sc-B was calculated as 151.35±4.42 mg GAE/g and 86.22±1.59 mg GAE/g whereas the total flavonoid content on Sc-A and Sc-B was found to be 21.61±4.88 mg QE/g and 24.09±4.02 mg QE/g respectively. Similarly, total phenolic and total flavonoid content on Sw-D were found to be 85.26±3.16 mg GAE/g and 21.57±1.26 mg QE/g. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition activity in these plants. This research work has scientifically supported the use of these plants to manage diabetes by local people and has explored new plants for antidiabetic drug discovery research.