Chemical characterization and biological evaluation of Dregea Volubilis flower and its application in formulation designing

Abstract

The present study is aimed to lay down Pharmacopoeial standards for D. volubilis and to investigate the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant effects, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and to biosynthesize and characterizes silver nanoparticles. The extract showed notable antioxidant activity for scavenging DPPH radical (IC50, 237.86 ± 1.05 μg/ml), hydroxyl radical (IC50, 170.67 ± 0.98 μg/ml). The extract showed inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase (IC50, 3780.09 ± 21.19 μg/ml) and α-amylase (IC50, 360.68 ± 1.26 μg/ml). The liquid chromatography study revealed that the extract contained gallic acid (412.36 ± 2.29 μg/g), ferulic acid (162.72 ± 0.89 μg/g), rutin (386.25 ± 2.00 μg/g), ellagic acid (208.8 ± 2.00 μg/g), quercetin (306.85 ± 2.24 μg/g) and cinnamic acid (213.71 ± 2.14 μg/g), respectively. The work was conducted to biofabricate the AgNPs in single step employing aqueous extract of Dregea volubilis flowers. The biofabricated AgNPs showed potential antioxidant activity for scavenging DPPH radical (IC50, 40.45 ± 5.06 μg/ml), ABTS radical (IC50, 78.49 ± 1.41 μg/ml), total antioxidant capacity (148.83 ± 2.99 mg GAE/g) along with remarkable inhibitory effects on α-amylase (IC50, 10.62 ± 0.22 μg/ml) and α-glucosidase (IC50, 6.49 ± 0.03 μg/ml). The present work illustrated the potential use of D. volubilis flowers as a novel source for biosynthesis of AgNPs. The present study of pharmacognostical evaluation on the flowers of D. volubilis has laid down standard parameters for proper identification, authentication and for distinguishing the material from its adulterants and substituents. The hydroalcoholic extract of D. volubilis flowers shows promising antioxidant potential towards different systems in vitro and α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibiting activities in vitro. The biofabricated AgNPs possessed the added advantage of incorporation of active biomolecules as capping agent which made it as a potent free radical scavengers, antidiabetic and antibacterial agent.