FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING EFFECT AND ALPHA-AMYLASE INHIBITORY EFFECT OF SOLANUM MELONGENA L. LEAVES

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of the aqueous alcoholic extract of Solanum melongena L. leaves. Solanum melongena L., commonly known as eggplant or brinjal, belongs to the family Solanaceae and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. The leaves of the plant are known to be rich in bioactive phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and glycosides, which contribute to various pharmacological activities. In the present investigation, the leaves were collected, washed, dried, and subjected to Soxhlet extraction to obtain a crude aqueous alcoholic extract. Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, and glycosides. The antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay, with ascorbic acid employed as the reference standard. The results indicated significant free radical scavenging activity, suggesting strong antioxidant potential of the leaf extract. The antidiabetic activity was assessed by determining the in-vitro α-amylase inhibitory effect using the dinitro salicylic acid (DNS) method. A maltose calibration curve was prepared, and the percentage inhibition of α-amylase was calculated. The extract exhibited a notable α-amylase inhibition of 53.84%, indicating its potential role in controlling postprandial hyperglycaemia. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate that Solanum melongena L. leaves possess considerable antioxidant and antidiabetic activities, which may be attributed to their phytochemical constituents. Further studies focusing on the isolation, characterization, and quantitative analysis of active compounds are required to validate these effects and explore their potential in the development of novel therapeutic agents.