Abstract
Purpose: To synthesize some alkyl derivatives of carbazole and evaluate their in vitro inhibitory effect on alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase.
Methods: Synthesis of methylcarbazole, ethylcarbazole, propylcarbazole and butylcarbazole was carried out using acid-catalysed alkylation method while in vitro inhibitory assay on alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase enzymes on the synthesized compounds was evaluated using standard procedures. Acarbose was used as the reference compound.
Results: For carbazole, methylcarbazole, ethylcarbazole, propylcarbazole and butylcarbazole, the IC50 values of alpha amylase inhibitory assay were 87.47, 50.23, 47.20, 42.36 and 42.11 mu g/mL respectively. IC50 values of alpha glucosidase inhibitory assay for ethylcarbazole, propylcarbazole and butylcarbazole were 205.30, 153.93 and 152.90 mu g/mL, respectively. Carbazole and methylcarbazole had no inhibitory effect on this enzyme but the reference drug (acarbose) had a better inhibitory effect towards the two enzymes than the synthesized products.
Conclusion: Some alkyl-carbazoles with anti-diabetic effect have been successfully synthesised. Alkylation of carbazole increased the alpha amylase inhibitory effect of carbazole. The inhibitory effect is directly proportional to the chain length of the alkyl group.