Different Proportions of Huangqi (Radix Astragali Mongolici)‎ and Honghua (Flos Carthami)‎ Injection on α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase Activities

Abstract EN

Objective.

To study the effect of different proportions of Huangqi (Radix Astragali Mongolici) and Honghua (Flos Carthami) injection on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activity simultaneously.

Methods.

The injections were prepared according to the standards of the China Food and Drug Administration.

The assay for potential α-glucosidase inhibitors was based on the hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (4-MUG).

The α-amylase EnzChek assay kit was used to determine potential α-amylase inhibitors.

Acarbose was the positive control.

Results.

The half maximal (50%) inhibitory concentration (IC50) of acarbose against α-glucosidase and α-amylase was (1.8±0.4) μg/mL and (227±32) μg/mL, respectively.

Honghua showed significant inhibition of α-glucosidase activity compared with Huangqi (P<0.01).

Honghua inhibited α-amylase activity, but Huangqi did not.

IC50s for α-glucosidase inhibition by mixtures at 10 : 1, 5 : 1, and 2 : 1 were significantly lower than those at the 20 : 1 mixture (P<0.01).

α-Amylase inhibition by the 2 : 1 mixture was significantly higher than that by the 20 : 1, 10 : 1, and 5 : 1 mixtures at 500 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL (P<0.01), with 5 : 1 significantly higher than 20 : 1 and 10 : 1 at 1000 μg/mL (P<0.01).

Conclusion.

Honghua significantly inhibited α-glucosidase activity compared with Huangqi (P<0.01).

For simultaneous inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, the mixtures at 2 : 1 and 5 : 1 exhibited significant effects compared with those at 20 : 1 (P<0.01).