Extraction Of Phytochemicals From Hemidesmus Indicus Leaves: Evaluation Of In Vitro Antioxidant, Antidiabetic And Antifungal Properties

This study investigates the in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antifungal properties of Hemidesmus indicus leaf extracts using various solvents, including benzene, chloroform, methanol, ethanol, and aqueous solutions. The antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and FRAP assays, while the antidiabetic potential was evaluated through α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. The antifungal activity was tested against Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus niger using the well diffusion method. Among the extracts, the methanolic extract demonstrated the highest efficacy, with IC50 values of 42.88 μg mL⁻¹ (DPPH), 29.62 μg mL⁻¹ (FRAP), 28.55 μg mL⁻¹ (α-amylase inhibition), and 31.64 μg mL⁻¹ (α-glucosidase inhibition). It also exhibited effective antifungal activity, particularly against Candida albicans. The chloroform extract showed effective activity, especially in the FRAP assay and enzyme inhibition tests, along with moderate antifungal properties. In contrast, the benzene, ethanol, and aqueous extracts demonstrated moderate to lower efficacy across all assays, though the aqueous extract showed significant antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger. These findings represents the significant potential of Hemidesmus indicus as a source of natural antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antifungal agents, with the methanolic extract showing the most promise.