Anti-hyperglycemic effects of sugar maple Acer saccharum and its constituent acertannin

The anti-hyperglycemic effects of the leaves of sugar maple, Acer saccharum and purification and identification of the active compound were investigated. Extracts of the leaves showed a potent inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In vitro enzyme-inhibitory assay-guided fractionation of the crude extract gave active compound, acertannin (2,6-di-O-galloyl-1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol) by spectroscopic analysis. This is the first report that acertannin from A. saccharum may be used in diabetes care.