Sclerocarya birrea (morula) stem-bark and Psidium guajava (guava) leaf are two medicinal plants used for the management of diabetes mellitus in South Africa. Preliminary tests carried out using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed their effectiveness in cleaving protein cross-links formed as a result of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) accumulation in biological systems. The highest AGEs-protein cross-links breakage effects were observed with Psidium guajava n-hexane and ethyl acetate leaf extracts in glucose and fructose models of AGEs. High cross-link breakage effects were also demonstrated by methanol extracts of Psidium guajava leaf and Sclerocarya birrea stem-bark. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of important secondary metabolites which include phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, coumarins and terpenoids. Gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and high resolution chromatography (GCxGC/TOFMS) analysis of extracts from the plants enabled the identification of various biologically important compounds. Detected compounds include I-(+)-Ascorbic acid 2,6-dihexadecanoate, Octadecanoic acid (Stearic acid), Vitamin E (D-alpha-tocopherol), Alpha-Tocopherol-beta-D-mannoside and 2,6,10,14,18,22-Tetracosahexaene, 2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyl-, (all-E) (Squalene), gamma-sitosterol, palmitic acid, gallic acid, glycerol, methyl galactoside. These identified compounds may be responsible for the observed AGEs-protein cross-link breakage effect.

Gas chromatography mass spectrometry reveals potential compounds responsible for protein cross-link breakage effects in selected medicinal plants

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