COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIABETIC AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF CLITORIA TERNATEA AND SENNA AURICULATA FLOWER EXTRACTS: AN IN-VITRO STUDY

Abstract

Background Diabetes mellitus remains a major global health challenge, and the search for plant-based anti-diabetic agents continues to grow in significance. Senna auriculata (Fabaceae) is a well-established antidiabetic plant in South Asian traditional medicine, while Clitoria ternatea (Fabaceae) represents an emerging medicinal candidate with diverse bioactivities. This study comparatively evaluates the in-vitro anti-diabetic activity via α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, and the antimicrobial activity via disc diffusion against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and MRSA. S. auriculata demonstrated superior α-amylase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 277.98 µg/ml) while C. ternatea exhibited broader antimicrobial potential, particularly against S. aureus (3 mm zone at 100 µg/ml). These complementary findings suggest potential for dual-function therapeutic applications in diabetes and infection management, pending further in-vitro validation and in-vivo confirmation.