α-Glucosidase Inhibition and Docking Studies of 5-Deoxyflavonols and Dihydroflavonols Isolated from Abutilon pakistanicum

Three new 5-deoxyflavonoid and dihydroflavonoids 2, 3 and 4 have been isolated from the methanolic extract of Abutioln pakistanicum aerial parts, for which structures were elucidated explicitly by extensive MS- and NMR-experiments. In addition to these, 3,7,4′-trihydroxy-3′-methoxy flavonol (1) is reported for the first time from Abutioln pakistanicum. Compound 2 and 4 are p-coumaric acid esters while compounds 2–4 exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Docking studies indicated that the ability of flavonoids 2, 3 and 4 to form multiple hydrogen bonds with catalytically important residues is decisive hence is responsible for the inhibition activity. The docking results signified the observed in-vitro activity quite well which is in accordance with previously obtained conclusion that phenol moiety and hydroxyl group are critical for the inhibition of α-glucosidase enzyme.