Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction, Quality Assessment, and DPP-IV Inhibitory Activity of Cissus verticillata Hydroalcoholic Extract

Cissus verticillata is a medicinal plant rich in bioactive phytoconstituents with promising therapeutic potential, particularly against diabetes. The present study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics, phytochemical composition, microbial quality, and in vitro dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of Cissus verticillata. The whole herb was extracted using Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) with a hydroalcoholic solvent (ethanol, 70:30 v/v). The obtained extract was characterized for organoleptic properties, physicochemical parameters, microbial quality, and qualitative phytochemical constituents using standard pharmacopeial methods. The antidiabetic potential was assessed by a chromogenic DPP-IV inhibition assay using sitagliptin as the reference standard. The hydroalcoholic extract exhibited a yield of 9.2% with satisfactory organoleptic characteristics. Physicochemical analysis demonstrated acceptable pH (7.2 and 6.1), low moisture content (4.9%), minimal foreign matter (0.5%), appropriate ash values, higher water-soluble extractive value (25.25%) than alcohol-soluble extractive value (19.35%), and the absence of heavy metals and pesticide residues. Microbiological evaluation confirmed the absence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed abundant alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, along with carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, glycosides, saponins, and tannins. The extract exhibited concentration-dependent DPP-IV inhibition, increasing from 18.33 ± 1.52% at 10 µg/mL to 82.00 ± 1.00% at 200 µg/mL, with an IC₅₀ of approximately 70 µg/mL. Overall, the hydroalcoholic extract of Cissus verticillata demonstrated satisfactory quality, safety, a rich phytochemical profile, and promising antidiabetic potential, supporting its further investigation as a natural source for the development of phytopharmaceuticals against diabetes.

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