The results of the enzyme (毩-amylase and 毩
-glucosidase) inhibitory assays showed that the extracts
of the unprocessed and blanched T. occidentalis were
strong inhibitors of 毩-glucosidase, but mild inhibitors of
毩-amylase as shown in Figures 1 and 2. This however, is
in agreement with earlier reports that showed that plant
phytochemicals are mild inhibitors of 毩-amylase and strong
inhibitors of 毩-glucosidase activity[3]. A property that
confers advantage over synthetic drugs such as Acarbose;
use by diabetics in the management of postprandial blood
glucose, which strongly inhibit 毩-amylase. Stronger
inhibition of 毩-glucosidase activity and mild inhibition of
毩-amylase activity of the vegetable extracts could address
the major drawback of currently used 毩-glucosidase
and 毩-amylase inhibitor drugs with side effects such as
abdominal distention, flatulence, meteorism and possibly
diarrhea[28].