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

Background: Moroccan medicinal plants with historical usage to treat diabetes have been analyzed to explore their potential anti-glycation and antioxidant activities through in vitro experiments. These investigations have been complemented by molecular docking. Methods: The present study has 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 verticillata, and Caralluma europaea), and two seeds oils from Argania spinosa and Opuntia dillenii. The antioxidant activity was determined by using the DPPH radical scavenging activity test and β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay. In addition, the antiglycation activity was detected by using the hemoglobin protein model. Results: All studied plant extracts have 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 have also been highlighted. Conclusion: Antidiabetic herbal medicines are responsible for the inhibition of oxidative activity and glycation. The molecular docking analysis showed catechin, kaempferol-O-acetylhexoside, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin, and zeaxanthin, to have a high affinity to AGEs receptor and a potent inhibitory activity.