In the present study, two medicinal plants from Africa, namely Bersama abyssinica Fresen. and Scoparia dulcis L., were extracted using ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. The antioxidant, enzyme (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase, lipase, and tyrosinase) inhibitory action, and phytochemical profiles of extracts of Bersama abyssinica and Scoparia dulcis were determined. The aqueous (180.62 and 61.81 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract, for B. abyssinica and S. dulcis respectively) and methanol (75.21 and 57.81 mg rutin equivalent/g extract, for B. abyssinica and S. dulcis, respectively) extracts contained high concentrations of phenolic and flavonoids, respectively. The ethyl acetate extracts of both plants were potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase and tyrosinase. Several phytochemical groups were determined by HPLC-MS/MS. The study tend to suggest that B. abyssinica and S. dulcis are potential candidates for the development of novel therapeutical agents.
Keywords: Africa; natural agents; phyto-compounds; therapeutics.