In vitro antioxidant and alpha-amylase inhibitory activity of extracts from peel and pulp of Chrysophyllum cainito cultivated in the Mexican southeast

Four extracts of Chrysophyllum cainito L. were made, namely, ethanolic extract of pulp (EEPC), ethanolic extract of peel (EECC), aqueous extract of pulp (EAPC) and aqueous extract of peel (EACC). The content of phenols and flavonoids, as well as antioxidant activity and in vitro antidiabetic activity, were determined for these extracts. EECC showed a higher content of phenolic compounds and total flavonoids compared to the pulp extracts, specifically 5.16 +/- 0.13 g.kg(-1) (expressed as gallic acid equivalents) and 4.71 +/- 0.18 g.kg(-1) (expressed as catechin equivalents), respectively. Regarding the antioxidant activity, EECC free radical scavenging of 78.8 +/- 0.1 % was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrilhidrazyl (DPPH) assay and 80.3 +/- 0.1 % by the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. EECC had the highest inhibition index on the digestive enzyme a-amylase (87.7 +/- 8.3 %). The Chrysophyllum cainito fruit was found to possess a free radical donor capacity and inhibitory activity of amylolytic enzyme, important in control of diabetes mellitus and its complications.