Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) serves as a rapid analytical technique to characterize food specimens chemically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of FTIR combined with multivariate statistics to detect Alpha-glucosidase (Alpha-glu) inhibitory activities of a non-cereal flour-like coconut testa flour (CTF). CTF of five distinct local cultivars was sequentially extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and methanol (MeOH) to assay the Alpha-glu inhibitory activity. FTIR spectra of CTF extracts were obtained within the range of 4000–500 cm⁻¹ and the prominent spectral peaks obtained for both hexane and EtOAc extracts were roughly similar but some additional peaks were observed in EtOAc extracts representing phenolic constituents. The major absorbance peaks found in MeOH extracts were primarily indicative of the occurrence of the hydroxyl group associated with carbohydrates and phenolic compounds. The multivariate predictive models developed using partial least squares (PLS) and orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) regression analyses indicated a strong correlation between Alpha-glu inhibitory activity and spectral data. Models developed for the spectral regions 3700–2800 cm⁻¹ and 1800–500 cm⁻¹ exerted the highest regression coefficients with the lowest root mean square errors. In OPLS regression analysis, the model obtained with third-derivative spectral data was identified as the best, exhibiting the highest regression coefficients and the lowest root mean square errors. Both PLS and OPLS regression analyses indicated a potential correlation of Alpha-glu inhibitory activity with FTIR spectral regions. Notably, OPLS models offered enhanced interpretability of the model parameters. This study suggests that the application of multivariate regression analysis of FTIR spectral data on coconut-based products could help to detect Alpha-glu inhibitory activities.

Atalantia ceylanica, locally known as Yaki naran (YK), is a native plant of Sri Lanka, growing commonly in the dry and wet–intermediate zones. In this study, powdered samples of Yaki naran (YK) were sequentially extracted using hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and methanol (MeOH). The resulting extracts were assessed for total phenolic content, antioxidant potentials, and in vitro α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase inhibitory activities using relevant assays. The crude extracts were then subjected to separation and purification by column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. Although twelve compounds were obtained from the three crude extracts, only three had sufficient yields to proceed. Out of the three pure isolates, compound SAC 4 was identified as 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, a phenolic compound, by using ¹H and ¹³C NMR data and FTIR spectroscopic data, followed by evaluation of bioactivities such as antioxidant properties, enzyme inhibitory assays, etc. Based on the results of the bioassays, compound SAC 4 was identified to show strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, moderate antioxidant activity, and lipase inhibitory activity.