The present study evaluated the nutritional and total phenolic contents of leaves and fruit of Breynia retusa to study the inhibitory potentials against free radicals, α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Proximate composition and anti-nutrient content were investigated in the powdered samples of leaf and fruit. Total phenolic, flavonoid, vitamin C and E contents were measured by spectrophotometric methods. Antioxidant activity was estimated by employing various in vitro assays. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors were studied to determine the anti-diabetic potential of B. retusa. Nutritional composition of fruit showed higher starch, total proteins, total free amino acids and mineral contents as compared to leaves. Anti-nutrient contents of fruit and leaves exhibited a minimum amount of trypsin inhibiting activity and tannin contents. Further, higher contents of total phenolics and vitamin E were found in leaf methanol extracts. The leaf extract also showed higher antioxidant activity in DPPH^•, FRAP, metal ion chelating and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. B. retusa leaf and fruit methanol extracts inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. In conclusion, nutritional composition, antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities of B. retusa are suitable and promising for the development as a safe food product or natural additive.

In the present study, anti-radical, anti-diabetic and antimicrobial activities of different solvent extracts of Passiflora ligularis fruits were investigated. Among the various solvents, acetone extract displayed maximum total phenolic (640.70 mg GAE/g extract), tannin (214.30 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoid contents (387.33 mg RE/g extract). Results of antioxidant studies revealed that the acetone extract of fruits possessed an efficient 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH^•) (IC₅₀ 19.13 μg/mL), 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS^•+) (9800.94 μmol/L trolox equi/g extract), superoxide (78.27%) and nitric oxide (79.95%) radical scavenging activities, ferric reducing antioxidant power (43.06 mmol Fe (Ⅱ)/mg extract), metal chelating (134.53 mg EDTA/g extract) ability. The acetone extract of P. ligularis fruits also exhibited significant (P < 0.005) inhibition activities on α-amylase (82.56%) and α-glucosidase (75.36%) enzymes. Furthermore, the fruits of P. ligularis also demonstrated antibacterial activities against Gram (+) and Gram (−) bacteria and inhibited the fungal strains Candida albicans (14.85 mm) and Aspergillus niger (13.91 mm) in the disc diffusion method. Quantification of polyphenolics by HPLC showed the presence of ellagic acid, gallic acid, and rutin. Therefore, the results indicate that the fruit pulp of P. ligularis can serve as a potential antioxidative and antimicrobial agent in food and pharmaceutical industries.