COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIABETIC AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF CLITORIA TERNATEA L. AND JASMINUM SAMBAC (L.) AITON FLOWER EXTRACTS

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus and antimicrobial-resistant infections represent two of the foremost global health challenges of the twenty first century. Medicinal plants are increasingly explored as sources of novel bioactive compounds to address these conditions. This study evaluated and compared the in vitro anti-diabetic and antimicrobial activities of flower extracts from Clitoria ternatea L. (butterfly pea; locally known as Sangu poo / Sample S) and Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton (Arabian jasmine; locally known as Jasmine flower / Sample J), alongside Senna auriculata (Avaram poo / Sample A). Anti-diabetic activity was assessed through α-amylase inhibitory assay (DNSA method) and α-glucosidase inhibitory assay (pNPG substrate), using Metformin and Acarbose respectively as positive controls. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the disc diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and MRSA. C. ternatea (Sample S) demonstrated superior α-amylase inhibition with IC₅₀ of 227.45 µg/mL compared to 690.51 µg/mL for J. sambac. J. sambac showed stronger α-glucosidase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 470.84 µg/mL) while C. ternatea showed the best overall α-amylase potency. All three extracts exhibited concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity. These findings support the ethnomedicinal use of these plants and highlight their potential as phytopharmaceutical candidates for managing diabetes and infectious diseases.