Anti-hyperglycemic effect of the roots of Capparis erythrocarpos in mice

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, affecting millions of people globally [ 1 ]. Due to undesirable side effects of current antidiabetic drugs [ 2 ], there is still a need for safer alternatives. The roots of Capparis erythrocarpos (CE) Isert (Capparaceae) are used in the management of DM in many parts of Africa, including Tanzania [ 3 ] [ 4 ]. This study aimed to investigate the anti-hyperglycemic effects of CE and to isolate bioactive constituents from CE roots. The anti-hyperglycemic effect of the crude ethanolic extract (CEE) and dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate and ethanol fractions (dose: 500 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)) was evaluated in vivo in healthy albino mice using the oral glucose tolerance test. Chlorpropamide (100 mg/kg b.w.) and 1% carboxymethylcellulose served as positive and negative control, respectively. Phytochemical screening was conducted using chemical reactions for major phytochemical classes and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) – high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Isolation of compounds from the most active fraction was performed using flash chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC with Diode Array Detector (DAD) and MS detection. Structure elucidation of isolated compounds was achieved using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The CEE and DCM fraction exhibited a significant anti-hyperglycemic effect compared to the negative control ( p