Identification of Bioactive Compound from Citrus maxima Fruit against Carbohydrate-Hydrolysing Enzymes

The aim of this study was to identify the bioactive compound of Citrus maxima fruit that targets the enzymes responsible for hyperglycaemia. Preliminary in vitro screening of extracts of fruit parts revealed that juicy segments (ethanol, methanol and aqueous) showed the highest inhibition towards the carbohydrate- hydrolysing enzymes. Further, juicy segment extracts were subjected to preparative HPLC for separation and isolation of compounds. After a series of separations, in vitro analysis and characterization, naringin was identified to be the bioactive compound that is responsible for inhibiting carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme activities. Further application, such as developing food formulations from C. maxima will benefit diabetic populations.