PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, ANTIOXIDANT AND CARBOHYDRATE DIGESTING ENZYME INHIBITORY POTENTIAL OF LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA LEAVES EXTRACT

The study aims to investigate the antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of Leucaena leucocephala ethanol leaf extract (LLME). L. leucocephala leaves extraction was carried out by the maceration method. Phytochemical analysis was performed using standard analytical procedures. Diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2, 2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzathiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay; α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays were performed. The extraction yield of LLME by maceration was 65%. The phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids, monosaccharides, proteins, amino acids, steroids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, and saponins. The total phenol content of LLME was 970 mg of GAE/g, and total flavonoid content was found to be 550 mg of QE/g. In DPPH and ABTS assay LLME showed good antioxidant activity (IC₅₀: 11.21 ± 0.2 and 11.87 ± 0.05 µg/mL) when compared to the standard drug, ascorbic acid (IC₅₀:11.09 ± 0.05 and 11.01 ± 0.09 µg/mL). Similarly, in α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay, acarbose revealed enzyme inhibition activity with an IC₅₀ value of 12.02 ± 0.02 and 12.11 ± 0.02 µg/mL while LLME showed an IC₅₀ value of 12.46 ± 0.06 and 12.47 ± 0.08 µg/mL, respectively. The present study leads to the conclusion that L. leucocephala ethanol leaf extract is with tremendous antioxidant and antidiabetic properties.