Unlocking the antidiabetic potential of <i>Arctium lappa L</i> . root: process optimization, phytochemical profiling, and molecular docking insights into key bioactive compounds

High blood glucose levels are a hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and managing it involves inhibiting carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes such as α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). The objective of this study was to optimize ultrasound-assisted extraction of <i>Arctium lappa L.</i> by varying parameters such as feed-to-solvent ratio, ethanol concentration, extraction temperature, and time to maximize total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and extraction yield. The optimal conditions of 1:40 g/mL feed-to-solvent ratio, 70% ethanol, 50 °C, and 40 minutes resulted in 18.5 mg GAE/g dry extract (TPC), 7.3 mg QE/g dry extract (TFC), and 22.73% yield. Extraction kinetics were modeled effectively using the Power Law and Peleg models, with strong goodness-of-fit values (R² > 0.96). GC-MS analysis identified 160 bioactive compounds, with 25 major constituents including 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) (11.40%), n-hexadecanoic acid (11.54%), 9-octadecenoic acid (5.91%), octadecanoic acid (3.37%), and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (3.19%). Docking revealed strong binding of fatty acids and pyranone derivatives to carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes. D-allose and vanillic acid, though less abundant, showed the strongest affinities, suggesting complementary inhibition. In vitro assays confirmed significant α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition by the extracts. These findings highlight burdock root extract's potential for functional food applications targeting T2DM management.