Different concentrations of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Ocimum tenuiflorum L.
leaves were evaluated for their sucrase inhibition and non-enzymatic glycation inhibitory
effects. The results revealed that aqueous extracts, particularly the one from oven-dried
leaves had significant inhibition potential for all three assays. The IC50 values for sucrase
inhibition assay, BSA-glucose assay, and BSA-fructose assay were, 370.48±2.14 µg/ml,
188.19±2.52 µg/ml, and 166.16±1.99 µg/ml, respectively and the highest inhibition found
in1250 µg/ml were, 91.88±0.16%, 118.46±0.27%, and 104.15±0.21%, respectively. Other
than that, the aqueous extract of fresh leaves and 50% ethanol extract of oven dried leaves
also showed good inhibition activity. Though, the results presented the highest inhibition
activity for BSA-glucose assay. The leaves also attained 50% inhibition with the lowest
concentration for BSA-fructose assay. The overall result of O. tenuiflorum leaves
suggested that it can be used for treating diabetes mellitus and the complications
associated with this.