Objective: To investigate the antioxidant, anti-a-glucosidase and pancreatic b-cell protective potential of Ensete superbum (E. superbum) seeds. Methods: A variety of in vitro assays including radical scavenging, reducing power potential, phenolic content determination, a-glucosidase assay and pancreatic b-cell (1.4E7 cells) viability were employed for assessing the effect of methanolic extract of E. superbum seeds. Results: The radical scavenging and reducing power effects comparable with the stan-dard rutin were obtained while the enzyme inhibitory activity of the extract was 68-fold better than the standard antidiabetic drug, acarbose. The seed extract of E. superbum was packed-full of polyphenols with mean percentage gallic acid equivalent value of (38.2 ± 1.8) (n = 3). The protection of pancreatic cells from massive onslaught of hydrogen peroxide was far superior to that obtained for rutin. Conclusions: The reputed antidiabetic therapeutic uses of the seeds extract of E. superbum may be justified on the basis of inhibition of carbohydrate enzymes, anti-oxidant effects and pancreatic b-cell protection.
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