α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from the Fruits of Thai Helicteres isora L.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.12491Keywords:
Helicteres isora L., Phytochemicals, α-Glucosidase inhibition, Xanthine oxidase inhibition, Molecular docking, ADMETAbstract
Helicteres isora L. is a traditionally recognized medicinal plant in Asia, used for the treatment of gastrointestinal, metabolic, respiratory, and infectious diseases, with different parts exhibiting diverse pharmacological activities. In the present investigation, the fruits of H. isora L. were successfully investigated, leading to the isolation of β-sitosterol (1), betulinic acid (2), ursolic acid (3), 3b-hydroxyurs-11-ene-28(13)-lactone (4), ergosterol-5,8-peroxide (5), syringaresinol (6), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (7), curcumin (8), demethoxycurcumin (9), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (10). The inhibitory effects of all isolated compounds on α-glucosidase and xanthine oxidase (XO) were assessed. Among them, compound 9 exhibited the most potent α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 75.5 ± 0.06 µM), whereas compound 8 showed weak XO inhibition (IC50 95.0 ± 0.16 µM). In the molecular docking results, compounds 8 - 10 demonstrated strong α-glucosidase inhibition with conserved interactions at key residues (Asp203, Trp299, Trp406, Met444, Phe575, and Arg526), and their predicted physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties support their potential as orally active, locally acting antidiabetic agents.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ten compounds (1 - 10) were isolated from the fruits of Thai Helicteres isora, including 5 triterpenoids (1 - 5), 1 lignan (6), 1 triterpenoid glycoside (7), and 3 curcuminoids (8 - 10).
- This study reports the isolation of compounds 2 - 10 from isora L. for the first time.
- Compounds 8 - 10 exhibited potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with compound 9 being the most active (IC50 5 ± 0.06 µM), surpassing acarbose (IC50 198.9 ± 0.02 µM).
- Molecular docking revealed that compounds 8 - 10 shared conserved binding interactions with key α-glucosidase residues (Asp203, Trp299, Trp406, Met444, Phe575, and Arg526).
- In silico ADMET predictions suggested favorable solubility and intestinal permeability profiles, supporting their potential as orally active, locally acting antidiabetic agents.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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