In vitro Study on Antioxidant and Antiglycation Activities, and Molecular Docking of Moroccan Medicinal Plants for Diabetes

Background: Moroccan medicinal plants with a historical usage to treat diabetes have undergone analysis to explore their potential anti-glycation and antioxidant through in vitro experiments. These investigations were complemented by molecular socking. Methods: The present study examined the in-vitro antioxidant and antiglycation properties of six aqueous extracts from six medicinal plants (Ammodaucus leucotrichus, Thymelaea hirsuta, Arbutus unedo, Urtica dioica, Ptychotis verticilata and Caralluma europaea), andtwo seeds oils from Argania spinosa and Opuntia dillenii. The antioxidant activity was performed by using DPPH Radical scavenging activity test and β-Carotene/Linoleic Acid β-Bleaching Assay. In addition, the antiglycation activity was detected by using hemoglobin protein model. Results: All studied plants extractshave shown potent antioxidant and antiglycation activity Furthermore, to confirm the in silico antiglycation activity of the selected medicinal plants, molecular docking techniques were used assuming that binding energy decreases as compound affinity increases, the best molecules responsible for the remarkable antiglycation activity were highlighted. Conclusion: Antidiabetic herbal medicines are responsible for inhibition of oxidative activity and glycation. The molecular docking analysis, which showed the following molecules, Catechein, Kaempferol-O-acetylhexoside, Luteolin, Luteolin-7-O-glucoside, Quercetin, and Zeaxanthin were found to have a high affinity to AGEs receptor and a potent inhibitory activity.