The Anti-Hyperglycemic and Antioxidative Effects of Aqueous Extracts from Sphenocentrum jollyanum: Evidence from In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Red medicine (Sphenocentrum jollyanum) is a dense forest plant with an ethnomedicinal impact on disease management. The antioxidative and antihyperglycemic effects of aqueous extracts from Sphenocentrum jollyanum root and leaf were investigated. The radicals scavenging ability, iron (Fe2+) chelating ability, and the inhibitory effect on carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes (αamylase and α-glucosidase) were assessed in vitro. Thereafter, the effect was evaluated in streptozotocin (35 mg/kg)-induced diabetic rats placed on a high fat diet. The leaf extract was higher in phenol (4.57 mg/g) and flavonoid (2.20 mg/g) which was significantly (p < 0.05) different from the root extract with a phenol content of 2.79 mg/g and a flavonoid content of 1.75 mg/g. The radical scavenging and inhibitory properties of aqueous extract from the leaf were greater than the root extract except for α-amylase activity which was inhibited better by the root extract (87.5%) when compared to the leaf (77.2%). The extracts significantly improved the glycemic state, prevented oxidative stress by enhancing the antioxidant status and may be classified as a potential natural anti-hyperglycemic agent.