Metabolite profiling, antioxidant, antibacterial, and carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme inhibition activities of Drymaria cordata

 Drymaria cordata is used traditionally against hyperglycemia. In this research the methanol (DCM), hexane (DCH), and water (DCW) extracts of D. cordata were investigated for their metabolite profiling, antioxidant, antibacterial, and carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme inhibitory activities.

 The antidiabetic activities of the extracts were investigated using the α-amylase and α-glucosidase (carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes) inhibition assays and yeast glucose uptake assays. Antibacterial investigation of D. cordata extracts was done against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and β-lactam-resistant Escherichia coli. The zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were observed.

 GC-MS metabolite profiling revealed the presence of stearyl aldehyde, henicosanal, glycidyl palmitate, eicosane, phytol, octacosanal, and neophytadiene. The DCM extract had a higher phenolic (168.19 ± 3.34 mg gallic acid equivalent/g), flavonoid (843 ±11.55 mg rutin equivalents/g), and ferric reducing potential (556.083 ± 6.51 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g) than the DCH and DCW extracts. Also, DCM showed its greatest scavenging activity with a minimum IC50 value using the ABTS assay. DCM extract had the highest zone of inhibition and lowest MIC value against E. coli and S. aureus. Carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes were inhibited, with DCM extract having minimum IC50 values of 714.66 µg/ml and 508.94 µg/ml. Yeast glucose uptake assays confirmed the highest efficacy of DCM extract for glucose uptake by yeast cells.

 Drymaria cordata, especially DCM, has the potential to be considered an effective phytopharmaceutical drug for the treatment of oxidative stress, bacterial infections, and type 2 diabetes.