Objective: To evaluate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of extracts from Desmodium caudatum. Method: By establishing α-glucosidase inhibitory model in vitro

the activity of extracts from D. caudatum was screened. Result: The extracts from D. caudatum showed good inhibitory activity. The ethyl acetate extract and petroleum ether extract had higher inhibitor activity (IC50=9.79 and 39.2 mg·L-1)

which showed far greater activity than that of acarbose (IC50=1 103.01 mg·L-1)

and followed by petroleum ether and n-butanol extract (IC50=625.1 mg·L-1). The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of DCBU had concentration-dependent manner. α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity of DCPE and DCEA is sensitive to the change of concentration

which increased dramatically as the concentration increased. Conclusion: DCPE and DCEA showed very significant inhibitory activity to α-glucosidase

and could be exploited the diabetes drugs as α-glucosidases inhibitors in future.