Inhibitory effect of Ammannia bacifera leaves against lipase and angiotensin-converting enzyme

Abstract

Obesity and hypertension are multifactorial problems that are responsible for causing several life-threatening diseases. The occurrence of obesity and hypertension is increased day by day and so the remedies from natural sources are recognized as valuable tools to control obesity and hypertension with the minimum side effects. With realizing this fact, this study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory potential of Ammannia baecifera leaves against pancreatic lipase and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). First water soluble part (WSP) of crude aqueous extract prepared from leaves of Ammannia baecifera was separated from water insoluble part (WIP). In lipase inhibition assay, a moderate inhibitory effect of WSP was observed against pancreatic lipase with a IC50 value of 4.39 ± 0.48 μg/mL whereas WSP showed strong inhibitory effects against ACE (14.23 ± 0.82 μg/mL) as compared with captropil (12.54 ± 0.85 μg/mL). In case of both enzymes, WIP did not show any activity. Therefore, this study suggests that Ammannia baecifera leaves might be a prospective therapeutic agent for the management of obesity and hypertension.