Evaluation of anti-diabetic and anti-tumoral activities of bioactive compounds from Phoenix dactylifera L's leaf: In vitro and in vivo approach

Among various chronic disorders, cancer and diabetes mellitus are the most common disorders. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of hydroalcoholic extract of Phoenix dactylifera L. leaves (HEPdL) in animal models of type II diabetes in vitro/in vivo and in a human melanoma-derived cell line (IGR-39). A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was also performed to determine the amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in this plant. The physicochemical results by LC-MS/MS analysis of HEPdL showed the presence of 10 phenolic compounds. The in vitro study showed that the extract exhibited a more specific and potent inhibitor of α-glucosidase than α-amylase with an IC50 value of 20 ± 1 μg/mL and 30 ± 0.8 μg/mL, respectively. More importantly, the in vivo study of the postprandial hyperglycemia activity with (20 mg/kg) of HEPdL showed a decrease in plasma glucose levels after 60 min in resemblance to the glucor (acarbose) (50 mg/kg) effect. The oral administration of HEPdL (20 mg/kg) in alloxan-induced diabetic mices for 28 days showed a more significant anti-diabetic activity than that of the drug (50 mg/kg). Moreover, cytotoxicity effects of HEPdL in IGR-39 cancer cell lines were tested by MTT assay. This extract was effective in inhibiting cancer cells growth (IGR-39) at dose 35 and 75 μg/mL. These results confirm ethnopharmacological significance of the plant and could be taken further for the development of an effective pharmaceutical drug against diabetes and cancer.