Herbal Remedy for Diabetes Mellitus: Investigation of Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Properties of the Plant Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the second most important metabolic disorder that affects millions of lives every year, and the treatment requires long-term medication, resulting in drug resistance and drug-induced liver toxicity. Hence, to overcome the limitation of current treatment options, our study explored the methanolic Acacia leucophloea bark extract’s antidiabetic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties. Materials and Methods: Methanolic crude extract of A. leucophloea bark was prepared by Soxhlet extraction. This extract was evaluated for its inhibitory effects on α-amylase and glucosidase. Furthermore, its antioxidant potential was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and nitric oxide scavenging assays. Finally, the hepatoprotective activity was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay on HepG2 cells. Results: The A. leucophloea bark extract showed strong, dose-dependent inhibition of α-amylase (up to 73%) and α-glucosidase (up to 75%). It also exhibited potent antioxidant activity, scavenging DPPH (81%), ABTS (88%) and nitric oxide (82%). Additionally, it demonstrated hepatoprotective activity in HepG2 cells, maintaining 92% viability at 1 mg/ml. Conclusion: The A. leucophloea bark methanolic extract showed potent antidiabetic (inhibiting α-amylase glucosidase), antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. This evidence suggests its potential as a health supplement for DM patients, pending pre-clinical evaluation.