Phytochemical, antioxidant and antidiabetic evaluation of Portulaca oleracea L.

Portulaca oleracea L. is a significant herb that has been used since time immemorial as an important therapeutic agent in various healthcare practices like Unani and Ayurvedic medicines. The P. oleracea extracts were scientifically evaluated in our study in order to ascertain its antioxidants and antidiabetic potential. All the qualitative, quantitative, antioxidant and antidiabetic enzyme assays were conducted in accordance with the relevant standard protocols. Our study revealed the presence of numerous phytoconstituents in the extracts of P. oleracea thus making it an important plant in the field of traditional pharmaceutics. The total phenol and flavonoid contents were found to be highest in the P. oleracea root methanolic extract (155.421 mg GAE/100 g extract weight and 261.577 mg QE/100 g extract weight). Various studies have revealed that both flavonoid and phenol are rich sources of antioxidant which could help in curing different metabolic diseases. The DPPH and ABTS⁺ radical scavenging assay showed that P. oleracea leaf methanolic extract exhibited highest antioxidant capacity. For α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay it was observed that the P. oleracea leaf methanol Extract showed greater potential against the enzyme’s activity when compared to standard (IC₅₀ 38.12 µg/mL and IC₅₀ 54.90 µg/mL). Through GC-MS characterization, important bioactive compounds like lupeol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol which possesses antioxidant and antidiabetic activity were identified. Our present findings have demonstrated an excellent antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of P. oleracea and may prove to be a boon to traditional medicinal system.