Simultaneous Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Compounds of Cinnamon Bark and Sappan Wood as a Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Inhibitor

Two humble Indonesian herbs, cinnamon bark and sappan wood, might hold a key to tackling Type-2 diabetes—and a green solvent just made their extraction smarter.

In the global fight against Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), natural products are a treasure trove. Indonesian herbal industries have long combined cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum burmannii) and sappan wood (Caesalpinia sappan) for their reported benefits. But extracting their bioactive compounds efficiently and sustainably has been a challenge. Now, scientists have turned to natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES)—a green alternative to harsh organic solvents—paired with ultrasound to pull out the good stuff simultaneously.

Using a choline chloride–glycerol NADES, the team extracted compounds from both plants and tested their ability to block dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), an enzyme that regulates blood sugar. The results were striking: the cinnamon extract showed an IC50 of 205.0 µg/mL, while sappan wood boasted a potent 1254.0 µg/mL. But here's the twist—when they pinpointed the active components, only brazilin from sappan wood truly delivered the inhibition. The cinnamon markers—trans-cinnamaldehyde, coumarin, and trans-cinnamic acid—fell short.

To double-check, molecular docking simulations confirmed brazilin's strong binding to DPP IV, while the cinnamon compounds showed weak interactions. This doesn't dismiss cinnamon's role in traditional blends, but it highlights that sappan wood may be the real DPP IV inhibitor. The study not only validates a green extraction method but also points to brazilin as a promising lead for T2DM management. Next time you sip a herbal brew, remember: science is just beginning to unpack its secrets.

Key Points

• NADES extraction yields DPP IV inhibitors from cinnamon and sappan wood
• Brazilin from sappan wood shows strong DPP IV inhibition
• Cinnamon markers show no significant DPP IV activity