Abstract

Lichens have had great evolutionary success and can easily inhabit extreme environments and are found from the tropics to the polar regions. Antarctic lichens are believed to be a promising source for new drug discovery as they exhibit antioxidant, immunostimulant, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, antibiotic, anticholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory properties. The lichen species Sphaerophorus globosus is part of the prominent lichenoflora of the Antarctic territory and this species has been reported to have antioxidant and antineurodegenerative potential. In this work, several extracts of Sphaerophorus globosus were studied, the inhibitory activity of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme was determined and the possible bioactive molecules responsible for this bioactivity were identified by HPLC-MS analysis. The molecules were separated by planar chromatography using several mobile phases of different polarities until an optimal separation was achieved. An interesting inhibitory activity of the alpha- glucosidase enzyme was detected for all the extracts studied. The molecule responsible for this bioactivity was identified as 6-Heptylresorcylic acid (6HA), this molecule has been studied in silico in other Antarctic lichens for its antineurodegenerative potential, but it is the first time that it’s in vitro bioactivity for alpha-glucosidase enzyme inhibition is reported. These results indicate the antidiabetic potential of the Antarctic lichen Sphaerophorus globosus and the importance of studying new treatments against chronic non-communicable diseases.