South African Momordica balsamina Linn. Chemical Characterization, In-vitro Antidiabetic Evaluation and In-Extracts Compounds Identification

Purpose Momordica balsamina is used traditionally for the treatment and management of diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the in-vitro antidiabetic and cytotoxic effects of Momordica balsamina leaf extracts and to identify the bioactive compounds potentially responsible for its antidiabetic properties. Methods Antidiabetic activity was assessed using α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and β-glucosidase inhibition assays with acarbose as reference. GC-MS analyses was employed to identify compounds present in the extracts and MTT assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of extracts exhibiting antidiabetic properties. Results All extracts demonstrated a concentration-dependent increase in enzyme inhibition. Notably, DCM leaves exhibited a lower IC₅₀ (0.156) for α-amylase compared to acarbose (0.209), indicating stronger inhibitory activity. For α-glucosidase inhibition, acarbose had the lowest IC₅₀ (0.129), however, EA leaves and DCM leaves extracts followed closely with IC₅₀ values of 0.301 and 0.367. Compared to acarbose's IC₅₀ (0.464) for β-glucosidase, EA leaves and DCM leaves extracts exhibited stronger activity with IC50’s of 0.301 and 0.367 respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed several antidiabetic-associated bioactive compounds, including vanillin and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol in the DCM leaves, and propylene glycol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, hexadecenoic acid, oleic acid, phytol, and octadecanoic acid in the ethyl acetate leaves extract. The MTT assay results confirmed the safety of DCM and ethyl acetate leaves extracts, as they exhibited no significant cytotoxicity at concentrations of 500 µg/mL and above. Conclusion These findings validate the traditional use of Momordica balsamina as a herbal remedy for diabetes and also highlight its potential as a source of safe and effective antidiabetic agents for further development.