Plant Species Infusions with Inhibitory Potential against Pancreatic Enzymes

Introduction. Chronic non-communicable diseases are generally caused by an imbalance between energy intake
and expenditure; despite the availability of pharmacological treatments, several existing drugs are associated with
undesirable adverse effects. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of vegetable infusions
on pancreatic enzyme activity. Materials and Methods. in vitro studies were conducted to assess the effect of
aqueous infusions on pancreatic lipase and α-amylase activity. Subsequently, the IC₅₀ was determined for those
exhibiting the highest inhibitory activity. Results. Not all evaluated species showed inhibitory activity against the
enzymes tested. White onion (Allium cepa) infusion exhibited strong α-amylase inhibition at 63.06±2.01% (IC₅₀=
0.91 mg/mL), whereas artichoke (Cynara scolymus) showed a more signifi cant inhibitory eff ect on lipase, with
46.54±2.15% (IC₅₀= 4.30 mg/mL). Conclusion. Although further in vivo studies are required to confirm the full
potential of these infusions, these findings demonstrate the pharmacological potential of these plants as possible coadjuvants in the treatment of diabetes and obesity.

https://doi.org/10.47499/revistaaccb.v1i38.341