Evaluation of antioxidantand antidiabetic properties of ethyl acetate fraction from Anacardium occidentale leaves, in-vitro and in-silico

Enzymes that break down carbohydrates, specifically α-amylase and α-glucosidase, play a significant role in post-meal high blood sugar levels. Inadequate control of these enzyme functions may lead to the onset of diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, the buildup of free radicals within biological systems has been identified as a contributing factor to the advancement of this condition. The current research examined the antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of different solvent fractions obtained from the methanolic extract of Anacardium occidentale. This included assessing their ability to neutralize DPPH radicals and chelate metal ions, as well as their potential to inhibit the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The most active fraction was analysed using LCMS to identify its components through a database library. The three-dimensional configurations of the identified compounds were studied for possible interactions with the α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes using MOE software. The results revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest levels of antioxidant and antidiabetic activity, with an IC50 of 73.16±3.03 for DPPH scavenging and 99.68±5.10 μg/mL for metal chelation. In comparison, the reference substances ascorbic acid and EDTA showed IC50 values of 68.97±2.08 and 65.01±3.01 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the IC50 values for the ethyl acetate fraction’s inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase were found to be 10.20±1.02 and 12.23±3.13 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, the standard drug acarbose displayed IC50 values of 9.48±1.06 and 6.82±0.86 μg/mL against these enzymes. The LC-MS analysis identified the following base peaks (m/z): 433.56, 447.50, 469.67, and 561.43, corresponding to 4-di-(2-ethylhexyl) trimellitate, maritimetin-6-O-glucose, glycyrrhetinic acid, and isoflavone base, respectively. Molecular docking analyses indicate that the isoflavone base achieves the most favourable score of -9.1736 and -75239, while the standard acarbose recorded scores of -8.6791 and -8.9104 kcal/mol against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. This study highlights that the constituents within the ethyl acetate fraction exhibit promising antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, potentially aiding in diabetes management. These components have displayed capabilities in DPPH radical scavenging and metal chelation, as well as the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. In conclusion, the findings from this investigation could significantly contribute to the development of effective therapies for oxidative stress and diabetes mellitus.