Isolation and Characterization of Bioactive Compounds from The Stem Wood of Dehaasia Caesia Blume (Lauraceae) and Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity through alfa Glucosidase Enzyme Inhibition Syaehul Islam1, Edwin Riski Sukandar1, Davina Senjaya1, Dyah Ayu Rachmadhaningtiyas1, Hendra Helmanto2, Lia Dewi Juliawaty1
1Organic Chemistry Research Division, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha no. 10 Bandung, Indonesia
2 Research Center for Biota System, National Research and Innovation Agency, Kawasan Sains Teknologi Dr. (H.C.) Ir. H. Soekarno, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km.46, Cibinong, Kab. Bogor, Jawa Barat 16911, Indonesia
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus DM is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from impaired insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The increasing global prevalence of diabetes, along with the high number of cases in Indonesia, highlights the urgent need for the development of more effective and safer antidiabetic agents. One important approach for controlling hyperglycemia, particularly postprandial hyperglycemia, is the inhibition of alpha glucosidase, an enzyme involved in the hydrolysis of carbohydrates into glucose. However, the use of commercial alpha glucosidase inhibitors is often associated with gastrointestinal side effects, thereby encouraging the search for safer alternatives from natural sources. In this context, natural products represent a promising source of bioactive compounds due to their structural diversity and broad range of biological activities. One potential plant is Dehaasia caesia Blume Lauraceae, which is distributed in Sumatra, Indonesia. The wood of D caesia has been utilized as construction material and traditionally used to treat microbial infections and boils. Nevertheless, phytochemical studies on this species remain limited. Several Dehaasia species have been reported to contain alkaloids, including benzylisoquinoline, bisbenzylisoquinoline, aporphine, bisaporphine, phenanthrene, and morphinan types, which are known to exhibit cytotoxic, antiplasmodial, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. This study aimed to isolate and characterize secondary metabolites from the stem wood of Dehaasia caesia and to evaluate their antidiabetic activity through in vitro alpha glucosidase inhibition. The stem wood of D caesia was extracted by maceration using acetone, followed by separation and purification using vacuum liquid chromatography VLC, gravity column chromatography GCC, and radial chromatography RC, while purity was assessed using thin layer chromatography TLC. Structural elucidation was performed based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, along with optical rotation measurements. Antidiabetic activity was subsequently evaluated through in vitro alpha glucosidase inhibition assay. The results showed that two compounds were successfully isolated, namely the neolignan derivative 7S,8S licarin A 55 and the lignan derivative dihydroguaiaretic acid 56, both of which exhibited stronger inhibitory activity than acarbose IC50 91.31 ug mL, with IC50 values of 65.98 ug mL and 7.74 ug mL, respectively. These findings indicate that Dehaasia caesia is a potential source of bioactive compounds for the development of natural product based antidiabetic agents.
Keywords: Dehaasia caesia, alfa glucosidase, antidiabetic, licarin A, dihydroguaiaretic acid
