Alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity has been commonly used for the evaluation of antidiabetic property in vitro. The aim of this study is to investigate and characterize Dalbergia tonkinensis as a potential source of antidiabetic compounds. The screening of the active parts used, such as trunk bark, heartwood, and the leaves of Dalbergia tonkinensis indicated that all these extracted parts used with methanol demonstrated potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The in vitro antidiabetic property of Dalbergia tonkinensis was notably recorded for the first time and showed activity (EC50 = 0.17⁻0.78 mg/mL) comparable to those of reported potent herbal extracts (EC50 = 0.25⁻4.0 mg/mL) and higher activity than that of acarbose, a commercial antidiabetic drug (EC50 = 1.21 mg/mL). The stability tests revealed that the heartwood of Dalbergia tonkinensis extract (HDT) possesses high pH stability with relative activity in the range of 80⁻98%. Further bioassay-guided purification led to the isolation of 2 active compounds identified as sativanone and formononetin from the ethyl acetate fraction and water fraction of HDT, respectively. These α-glucosidase inhibitors (aGIs) show promising inhibition against various types of α-glucosidases. Remarkably, these inhibitors were determined as new mammalian aGIs, showing good effect on rat α-glucosidase. The results suggest that Dalbergia tonkinensis is a potent source of aGIs and suggest promise in being developed as functional food with antidiabetic efficacy. The results of this study also enrich our knowledge concerning current biological activity and constituents of Dalbergia tonkinensis species.
Keywords: Dalbergia tonkinensis; diabetes; formononetin; heartwood; inhibitors; sativanone.