Gynura procumbens Extract Alleviates Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Diabetic Mice

This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of Gynura procumbens extract against carbohydrate digesting enzymes and its ability to ameliorate postprandial hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. G. procumbens extract showed prominent ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory effects. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) of G. procumbens extract against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase was $0.092{\pm}0.018$ and $0.084{\pm}0.027mg/mL$, respectively, suggesting that the ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibition activity of the G. procumbens extract was more effective than that of the positive control, acarbose ($IC_{50}=0.164mg/mL$). The increase in postprandial blood glucose levels was more significantly alleviated in the G. procumbens extract group than in the control group of STZ-induced diabetic mice. Moreover, the area under the curve significantly decreased with G. procumbens extract administration in STZ-induced diabetic mice. These results suggest that G. procumbens extract may help alleviate postprandial hyperglycemia by inhibiting carbohydrate digesting enzymes.