An Ayurvedic Anti-Diabetic Formulation Made from Curcuma longa L. and Emblica officinalis L. Inhibits α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase, and Starch Digestion, In Vitro

Abstract

The findings report a possible mode of action of a well-known Ayurvedic anti-diabetic formulation, called Nisha-Amalaki, with and without supplementation of honey. The formulation is a mixture of important functional foods viz. turmeric, Indian gooseberry, and honey.We demonstrated using well-accepted in vitro models that the formulation inhibits digestive enzyme activity and starch digestibility. The preliminary phyto-chemical studies indicate the possibility of a pharmacological networking in CE and CEH to bring out the gross biological effect as starch blockers. An important observation follows from the present study that the addition of honey could potentially enhance the pharmacological activities of CE formulation, further providing supportive scientific evidence for the Ayurvedic basis of using honey as an adjuvant. The study is significant in the field of CAM as it addresses the pharmacological properties of the formulation as well as its adjuvant in a realistic manner, by employing a simulated in vitro digestion model, rather than studying individual plants or bioactive compounds. By proposing a possible mode of action, the present study highlights the potential use of CE and CEH as a complementary strategy for diabetes management along with other anti-diabetic medicines.