The medical practitioners to control the high glycemic peaks in diabetes after a meal prescribe a-glucosidase inhibitors. a-glucosidase inhibitors retard the digestion of carbohydrates to simpler carbohydrates and slows down the absorption of the later in the small intestine thereby preventing the high glucose concentration in the blood after a meal.

Ayurvedic practitioners have prescribed Salacia reticulata as an oral antidiabetic agent. The antidiabetic action of S. reticulata is attributed to the intestinal alpha glucosidase inhibitory activity.

A recent research report revealed that Salaretin^® (standardized Salacia reticulata Extract from Sami Labs Inc., containing 1% mangiferin) effectively inhibits a-amylase, the enzyme that catalyze the break down of dietary starch to simple sugars, there by potentially inhibiting starch digestion. In this study, the extract was found to inhibit a-amylase (derived from procine pancreas) in a dose-dependent manner, with 50% inhibition at a concentration of 30 µg/ml (Fig 1).

Figure 1: Inhibitory Effect of SalaretinÒ on a-amylase Activity

Similarly Acarbose, a synthetic drug having an a-glucosidase inhibitory actiuvity is being used conventionally along with other hypoglycemic agents in the treatment of diabetes. The a - glucosidase inhibitory activity of Salaretin^® was also quantitated in a recent in vitro study.

    
Figure 2: Inhibitory Effect of SalaretinÒ on a-glucosidase activity

The extract was found to inhibit a-glucosidase from procine jejunum in a dose dependent manner, with 50% inhibition at a concentration of 7 µg/ml (Fig 2).