Discovering Bisdemethoxycurcumin from Curcuma longa rhizome as a potent small molecule inhibitor of human pancreatic α-amylase, a target for type-2 diabetes

► Identification of active constituent from Curcuma longa as a potential anti-diabetic agent. ► Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) inhibits Human pancreatic α-amylase (HPA). ► The mode of inhibition as determined kinetically is uncompetitive. ► BDMC inactivates HPA with a stoichiometry of 1:1 and an apparent Ki' of 3.0 μM.