The present study was intented to investigate the in vitro - amylase and - glucosidase inhibitory activities of ethanolic extract from whole plant of Lactuca runcinata (DC.). Postprandial hyperglycemia is a prime characteristic of diabetes mellitus and has been a focus in the therapy for diabetes. Pancreatic -amylase and - glucosidase inhibitors offer an effective technique to lower levels of postprandial hyperglycemia by means of control of starch breakdown. Both the therapeutic methodologies which include diminishing hyperglycemia goes for at inhibiting the enzyme -amylase and - glucosidase. In this study range, herbal remedies are considered convenient for management of Type 2 diabetes with postprandial hyperglycemia because their traditional adequacy and acceptability, low expenses, lesser side effects. The ethanolic extract got was subjected to in vitro alpha amylase and alpha glycosidase inhibitory assay utilizing starch azure as a substrate and porcine pancreatic amylase as the enzyme . The enzyme solutions were premixed with extract at distinctive concentrations (20,40,60,80 and 100 mg/ml). Substrate solutions and colorimetric reagents were added to the reaction. The release of glucose was measured by spectrophotometric method. Acarbose was utilized as the positive control. The extract (20- 100 mg/ ml) totally inhibit - amylase and - glucosidase activities. The extract produced higher reduction of α-glucosidase activity than α-amylase. Inhibition at various concentrations were significantly different (p<0.05).The results demonstrated a significant (more than 80%) reduction in - amylase and additionally 90% reduction in - glucosidase activity. This finding gives the utilization of ethanolic extract of whole plant of Lactuca runcinata effective in inhibiting -amylase and -glucosidase thereby proving to be potential hostile to hyperglycemic agents.
