Metabolomic and chemometric study of Achras sapota L. fruit extracts for identification of metabolites contributing to the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase

Achras sapota L. fruit extracts have previously been reported to have activities against the carbohydrate-digesting enzymes alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. The present work was aimed to identify the inhibitors of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase using metabolomics and chemometric approaches. Metabolite profile of Achras sapota fruit extracts at different stages of post-harvest ripening was analyzed using GC-MS-based metabolomics approach. The extracts were also assayed for their properties to inhibit the carbohydrate-digesting enzymes alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase in vitro. The fruit extracts just after harvesting showed maximum activities against the enzymes alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. The activities declined with post-harvest ripening. It was observed from the chemometric analysis that gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, benzene-1,2,4-triol, and d-malic acid are responsible for high alpha-amylase inhibitory activity. Gallic acid and chlorogenic acid are positively correlated with high alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Inhibition of the two enzymes by gallic acid, benzene-1,2,4-triol, chlorogenic acid, and alpha-amylase by d-malic acid supported the findings. The present experiment reports the importance of both primary and secondary metabolites for the bioactivity of plant extracts.