[Biological activities of Salacia chinensis originating in Thailand: the quality evaluation guided by alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity].

In the course of our characterization studies on anti-obese and antidiabetogenic principles in medicinal foodstuffs, we found that the methanolic extract from the stems of Salacia chinensis (Hippocerateaceae) showed potent anti-hyperglycemic effects in oral sucrose or maltose-loaded rats, inhibitory effects on intestinal alpha-glucosidase, rat lens aldose reductase, formation of Amadori compounds and advanced glycation end-products, nitric oxide production from lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse peritoneal macrophage, and radical scavenging activities. Those in vivo and in vitro biological activities were compared with those of S. oblonga and S. reticulata. In addition, we isolated the principal alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, salacinol, from the stems of S. chinensis and examined alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities of eleven samples of S. chinensis collected in Thailand.