Metabolite profiling of Cycas revoluta leaf extract and docking studies on alpha-glucosidase inhibitory molecular targets by phytochemicals

The leaves of Cycas revoluta were explored for their antioxidant, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory properties to develop safe and diet based therapeutic treatment of diabetes. In optimized fractionation, 60% ethanol provided the highest extract yield of 19.35±0.05a%, TPC 95.70±1.60a mg GAE/g and TFC 55 .60 ± 1.20a mg Rutin/g extract. The antioxidant and anti α-glucosidase activities of 60% ethanolic extracts were also promising and statistically significant as compared with remaining plant extracts. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) analysis of the leaf extract revealed the presence of three apigenin derivatives, kaempferol derivative, hexadecenoic acid and citric acid. The binding energy values of molecular docking studies supported the synergistic behavior of leaf extract to inhibit α-glucosidase activity. The leaves of Cycas revoluta were proved to be apigenin rich natural pool of metabolites of antidiabetic importance to improvise food functionalities.