First study on polyphenolic profile, antioxidant, acute oral toxicity, and antidiabetic effects of an aqueous extract from edible parts of <i>Mesembryanthemum cryptanthum</i> Hook.f. grown in Morocco

This work aims to evaluate the phenolic compounds, and assess the antioxidant, acute oral toxicity, and the antidiabetic effects of an aqueous extract from the edible parts of <i>Mesembryanthemum cryptanthum</i> Hook.f. (MCHAE) collected in Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab region of Morocco. Nine polyphenolic compounds, analysed by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS, were positively identified. MCHAE revealed an inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 547.63 µg/mL, compared to butylhydroxytoluene (IC₅₀ = 13.63 µg/mL). According to the acute oral toxicity study, an LD₅₀ value was between 2000 and 5000 mg/kg b.w. Further, the MCHAE, at a dose of 80 mg/kg, resulted to possess an antidiabetic effect in STZ-treated diabetic rats and hypoglycaemic effect in normal rats. Therefore, the edible parts of <i>Mesembryanthemum cryptanthum</i> Hook.f. can be employed as natural alternative medicine to treat diabetes mellitus.