ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Phytochemical Profiling and alpha-amylase inhibitory potential of Bauhinia monandra extractives
Authors
Yusuf Olalekan Barnabas
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus
continues to be a major non-communicable disease burden, particularly in
sub-Saharan Africa, driving interest in plant-derived inhibitors of
carbohydrate-metabolising enzymes. Bauhinia monandra Kurz (Fabaceae) is
used across West Africa, India and tropical America in the traditional
management of diabetes mellitus, yet the molecular basis of its activity
against pancreatic alpha-amylase remains unresolved, and its flowers are
essentially unstudied. This study profiled the phytochemistry of B. monandra
leaf and flower and evaluated their alpha-amylase inhibitory potential.
Air-dried leaf and flower material were separately extracted with ethanol and
partitioned successively into n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and
aqueous fractions. Alpha-amylase inhibition was measured by the
3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) method with acarbose as the reference
standard; total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were
quantified; constituents were characterised by LC-MS and GC-MS; and identified
compounds were docked against pancreatic alpha-amylase (PDB: 1HNY) using
AutoDock Vina. The ethyl acetate fractions of both organs displayed the
strongest, concentration-dependent inhibition, consistent with their highest
phenolic and flavonoid contents. LC-MS identified quercetin,
quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin), quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, and kaempferol
derivatives, while GC-MS revealed beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and lupeol
alongside fatty acid derivatives. Molecular docking positioned the identified
flavonoids within the catalytic triad (Asp197, Glu233, Asp300) of
alpha-amylase, with rutin and kaempferol achieving binding energies superior to
acarbose. The results furnish the first integrated phytochemical and
mechanistic rationale for the antidiabetic use of B. monandra, identify
ethyl acetate-soluble flavonoids as the principal bioactive agents, and
establish the flower as a credible source of alpha-amylase inhibitors.
Download
Pages:97-106
How to cite this article:
Yusuf Olalekan Barnabas "Phytochemical Profiling and alpha-amylase inhibitory potential of <i>Bauhinia monandra</i> extractives". International Journal of Academic Research and Development, Vol 11, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 97-106
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.