Fungal pretreatment to enhance the yield of phytochemicals and evaluation of α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibition using Cinnamomum zeylanicum (L.) quills pressurized water extracts.

Bioactive compounds entrapped in plant materials can be effectively recovered using fungal enzymes. Cinnamomum zeylanicum Sri Wijaya (SW) and Sri Gemunu (SG) accessions and commercially available C. zeylanicum (CC) were subjected to fungal pretreatment and extracted with pressured water (PWE, 0·098 MPa). Thirteen fungal species were isolated and the substrate utilization ability of the species was tested using cellulose, pectin and lignin (indirectly). Total phenolic content (TPC, Folin–Ciocalteu method), proanthocyanidin content (PC, vanillin method) and α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory potential of the extracts were evaluated. The anti‐diabetic drug, Acarbose was used as the positive control. Trichoderma harzianum (MH298760) showed the highest cell lysis ability and hence was used for the microbial pretreatment process. Extracts of SW treated with T. harzianum species (Pre‐SW) gave the highest percentage yield (4·08% ± 0·15%), significantly potent inhibition (P < 0·05) of α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase activities (IC50 57 ± 8 and 36 ± 8 μg ml−1 respectively), TPC (2·24 ± 0·02 mg gallic acid equivalent g−1), and PC (48·2 ± 0·4 mg of catechin equivalent g−1) compared to Pre‐SG, Pre‐CC and nontreated samples. Trichoderma harzianum treatment can enhance the hypoglycaemic properties, PC and TPC of Cinnamon extracts and provide new insights into the recovery of phytochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]