Naturally existing α-glucosidase inhibitors from traditional herbal medicines have attracted considerable interest to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-α-glucosidase activity of extracts from marsh cinquefoil (Comarum palustre L.), their hypoglycaemic action and detection of the responsible compounds. A 60% ethanol extract from C. palustre herb revealed the highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 52.0 μg/mL). The HPLC analysis of the major compounds resulted in detection of 15 compounds, including ellagitannins, flavonoids, catechin and other compounds. Using HPLC activity-based profiling a good inhibitory activity of agrimoniin-containing eluates against α-glucosidase was demonstrated. The removal of ellagitannins from the C. palustre extract significantly decreased α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 204.7 μg/mL) due to the high enzyme-inhibiting activity of the dominant agrimoniin (IC50 21.8 μg/mL). The hypoglycaemic effect of C. palustre extracts before and after ellagitannin removal, agrimoniin and insulin was evaluated on streptozotocin-induced experimental model. Diabetic rats treated with agrimoniin and C. palustre extract before ellagitannin removal showed significant increases in the levels of plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin and significant decreases in the levels of plasma insulin and hemoglobin. The data obtained confirm the leading role of agrimoniin in the antidiabetic activity of the herb C. palustre and allows us to suggest the use of this plant as a possible dietary adjunct in the treatment of DM and a source of new oral hypoglycaemic agents.
Keywords: Comarum palustre; agrimoniin; anti-diabetic activity; ellagitannins; α-glucosidase inhibition.