Anti-diabetic molecules from Cycas pectinata Griff. traditionally used by the Maiba-Maibi.

Abstract Bioactivity guided chemical investigation on active anti-diabetic constituents of the fruits of Cycas pectinata Griff. (FCP) characterized EAFr-5 as the most potent sub fraction which significantly reduced the blood glucose level to normal in STZ induced diabetic rats. It was shown to contain the biflavonoids amentoflavone ( 1 ) and 2,3-dihydroamentoflavone ( 2 ) which exhibited significantly high inhibitory potency against α-glucosidase (IC 50 8.09 ± 0.023 and 9.77 ± 0.032 μM, respectively) and α-amylase (IC 50 73.6 ± 0.48 and 39.69 ± 0.39 μM, respectively). This is the first report of bioactivity guided isolation of anti-diabetic constituents from the traditionally used fruits of Cycas pectinata Griff.