Abstract
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 significant inhibitory effect 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.
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