Phytochemical Potential of Heliotropium marifolium (J. kocnig ex Retz.)- An in vitro Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Analysis

This study aimed to assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and α-amylase inhibitory activities of H. marifolium leaf and stem extracts using in vitro assays to validate its pharmacological potential. Antioxidant assays including DPPH, ABTS, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide radical scavenging tests were conducted at different extract concentrations (50–300 µg/mL). Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed via protein denaturation inhibition, and α-amylase inhibition was determined using starch–iodine complex assays. Ascorbic acid and acarbose were used as standards. Both extracts exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity, with the leaf extract showing superior scavenging efficiency across all radicals (DPPH, 88.32 ± 1.66%; H₂O₂, 91.29 ± 1.70%) and lower IC₅₀ values (130.52–181.27 µg/mL) compared with the stem extract. The anti-inflammatory assay revealed significant inhibition (79.90 ± 1.59%) for the leaf extract at 300 µg/mL, with an IC₅₀ of 178.30 µg/mL versus 202.18 µg/mL for the stem. In the α-amylase inhibition assay, the leaf extract (IC₅₀ = 187.30 µg/mL) again showed higher potency than the stem (IC₅₀ = 209.26 µg/mL), though both were lower than acarbose (IC₅₀ = 122.37 µg/mL). The findings demonstrate that Heliotropium marifolium leaf extract possesses strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and α-amylase inhibitory properties, supporting its potential as a natural source of bioactive compounds for managing oxidative stress, inflammation, and hyperglycemia.