Antihyperglycemic, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of the Butanol Extract from<i>S</i><i>pirulina Platensis</i>

Abstract

The butanol extract of Spirulina was found to have potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 23.0 ± 0.4 μg/mL. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated to be 121.0 ± 3.5 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g and 27.4 ± 1.2 mg rutin equivalent/100 g of Spirulina biomass. The butanol extract also exhibited rat intestinal α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 37.5 ± 2.8 μg/mL. The butanol extract had showed antioxidant activities with DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical), reducing power, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide scavenging activity and showed antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The present results indicate that Spirulina can be used for nutraceutical applications. Practical Application Spirulina has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status and FDA approval for dietary supplement; therefore, it can be used as food supplement for health benefits. The therapeutic approach for preventing diabetes mellitus is to retard the absorption of glucose through inhibition of α-glucosidase.