ISOLATION OF STEROLS FROM OCIMUM SANCTUM L. LEAVES AND IT’S INHIBITORY ACTION ON GLUCOAMYLASE IN VITRO

Gangadhar A. Meshram*, Ganesh S. Metangale, Shraddha Khamkar and Tanushri Kulkarni

ABSTRACT

Diabetes Mellitus is the major chronic disease caused by an improper balance of glucose homeostasis. The hydrolysis and intestinal absorption are carried out by a group of hydrolytic enzyme, which includes salivary α- amylase and intestinal α-glucosidases, respectively. Plant based remedies have always been an integral part of traditional medicine throughout the world. Ocimum Sanctum L. (Tulsi) extracts are used as Ayurvedic remedies for common cold, headache, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart diseases, various forms of poisoning and malaria The active fraction containing mixture of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol was isolated by silica gel column chromatography and structure was determined using spectroscopic analysis. The inhibitory effect of glucoamylase parameter was determined in vitro. The isolated mixture of compounds shows moderate inhibitory effect at 1μg/mL concentration with 33.33% inhibition. The enzyme inhibition could be part of the mechanism by which they are used in the treatment of the type-II diabetes. However, stigmasterol and β- sitosterol may play an important role in glucoamylase inhibition action. Research studies leading to extraction, isolation, identification and biological evaluation of plant constituents have now formed the major field of study.

Keywords: Ocimum Sanctum L., stigmasterol, ?- sitosterol, glucoamylase.