Biological properties of Hertia cheirifolia L. flower extracts and effect of the nopol on α-glucosidase

In screening for antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitors from the extracts of Hertia cheirifolia L. flowers, the petroleum ether extract showed interesting antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on the activity of α-glucosidase. The fractionation of this extract resulted in the isolation of a compound which is characterized by NMR and ESI-MS as a nopol. The nopol exhibited potent α-glucosidase inhibitory potential with IC50 value of 220 μM. The kinetic evaluation indicated that it acts as a non-competitive inhibitor. A molecular docking study proved that the nopol presented a strong affinity with amino acid residues of α-glucosidase.