Background : Medicinal wild vegetables refer to wild medicinal plants whose aerial parts are edible. Recent researches for developing a functional food product from medicinal wild vegetables have been actively reported. The objective of this study is to test anti-diabetic activity of 2 medicinal wild vegetables, Allium victorialis and Aster koraiensis.
Methods and Results : The medicinal wild vegetables were extracted using water and ethanol. Several medicinal wild vegetables were screened for anti-diabetic activity using α-glucosidase inhibitor screening test (colorimetric). It utilizes the ability of an active α-glucosidase to cleave a synthetic substrate and releasing a chromophore (OD 410 ㎚). In the presence of an α-glucosidase specific inhibitor, the enzymatic activity is greatly reduced which is detected by a decrease of absorbance readings. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of acarbose was compared with wild vegetables extracts at 1 ㎎/㎖. And A. victorialis and A. koraiensis extracts were selected. α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of A. victorialis and A. koraiensis extracts were confirmed in various concentration.
Conclusion : These results suggest that A. victorialis and A. koraiensis could be good candidates for anti-diabetic material.