Bioactivity Assessment and Profiling of Martynia Annua L. Fruit Extract With The Use of FTIR, UV-Visible Spectroscopy, and in-Vitro Biological Assay

Abstract

Background:
Martynia annua L. is another widely used plant in traditional medicine in the treatment of infections, inflammation and metabolism related disorders. Although numerous pharmacological features of this plant have been reported, little has been done in terms of overall phytochemical and biological characterization of the fruit extract.

Aim: The objective of the current paper was to describe the constituents of the dry fruit extract of Martynia annua using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy to evaluate the in vitro antidiabetic and anti-hemolytic activity of the extract, as well as to determine its potential use in the dentistry profession.

 Materials and Methods: To determine the biological properties of Martynia annua, dried fruits of the plant were obtained, identified, and exposed to extraction. About 20 grams of dried and crushed fruits of Martynia annua were put in a 250 mL round bottom vial and it was mixed with 100 mL of 95% ethanol. The mixture was left in water bath at 65 to 70 C and stirred and stir under continuous conditions in a water bath to enable extraction of bioactive compounds. After boiling the Martynia annua extract was left to cool to room temperature and filtered using Whatman No. 1 filter paper in order to remove the plant debris. The resultant liquid extract was pipetted into a glass container at 4 o C till it was used in the process of phytochemical and biological analysis. The solvent was not dried or evaporated to make the extract remain in a liquid state where it could be directly analyzed.

Results:
FTIR analysis showed characteristic peaks corresponding to the presence of hydroxyl, aliphatic, aromatic and ether/ester functional groups, showing the presence of flavonoids, phenolics, and terpenoids. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed significant absorbance between 200–290 nm, indicating π→π* transitions consistent with conjugated phenolic structures. The extract showed α-amylase inhibition, ranging from 86.61% at 20 µg/mL to 90.30% at 100 µg/mL, comparable to the standard drug acarbose (93.11%). Hemolytic activity remained low across all concentrations, with hemolysis ranging from 2.13% to 3.40%, indicating good biocompatibility.

Conclusion:
The ethanolic fruit extract of Martynia annua is composed of a diverse array of bioactive phytochemicals with significant antidiabetic potential and minimal cytotoxicity. These observed findings advocate for its traditional medicinal use and highlight its application in the development of safe, plant-based therapeutic agents.