The present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-diabetic folk medicines. Four types of
anti-diabetic folk medicines were collected from two locally established folk medicine
practitioners. The in-vitro study of anti-diabetic activity was evaluated by α-amylase inhibition
technique which included two methods namely Iodine-starch method and DNSA method. All the
folk medicines had α-amylase inhibition activity and hypoglycemic activity. Among all the
samples, sample-1 was found to have most significant α-amylase inhibition activity (P<0.01). 1.1
μg/mL of sample -1 showed highest % inhibition of 46.25±0.002 in Iodine-starch method and in
case of DNSA method, 1.3 μg/mL sample revealed 33.61±0.003% inhibition (P<0.01). In-vitro
anti-inflammatory evaluation study was carried out through HRBC-membrane stabilization method.
Sample-3 showed significant percent inhibition of about 64.195±0.003 at concentration 125
μg/mL(P<0.001). Anti-oxidant activity was also evaluated through Hydrogen peroxide and DPPH
radical scavenging activity study. Prominent radical scavenging capacity was revealed in all
collected folk medicines. In future, in-vivo alloxan-induced diabetic method may be carried out
with these folk medicines and analytical study may be performed to isolate, characterize and
elucidate the structure of responsible active compound for anti-diabetic activity.