INVITRO ANTIDIABETIC AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF BITTER LEAF (VERNONIA AMYGDALINA) LEAF EXTRACT OBTAINED FROM MINNA MARKET

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the in vitro antidiabetic and antimicrobial activities, as well as the phytochemical composition, of Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) extract obtained from Minna Market. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of major bioactive compounds such as phenols (533.18 ± 0.86 mg/100 g), flavonoids (91.85 ± 0.72 mg/100 g), tannins (133.56 ± 0.64 mg/100 g), saponins (180.54 ± 1.21 mg/100 g), and alkaloids (32.65 ± 0.49 mg/100 g), which are known for their pharmacological significance. The in vitro antidiabetic evaluation showed that the extract inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes in a concentration-dependent manner, with maximum inhibitions of 65.47 ± 0.46% and 74.71 ± 0.63%, respectively, at 200 µg/mL. These results indicate the potential of the extract to regulate postprandial blood glucose levels. Furthermore, the antibacterial assay revealed that Vernonia amygdalina extract exhibited moderate inhibition zones against Escherichia coli (17.33 ± 0.33 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (15.00 ± 0.58 mm), suggesting its antimicrobial potential. Statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA (p < 0.05) confirmed significant differences among treatments. Overall, the findings suggest that Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract contains potent phytochemicals with promising antidiabetic and antibacterial properties, validating its traditional use in the management of diabetes and infectious diseases. Further in vivo and formulation studies are recommended to explore its therapeutic applications.