609SCREENING OF LICHEN EXTRACTS FOR IN VITRO ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY USING ALPHA AMYLASE INHIBITORY ASSAYDiabetes mellitus is a clinical condition characterized by hyperglycemia in which an elevated amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. Alpha amylase inhibitors are used to achieve greater control over hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The present study intends to screen novel alpha amylase inhibitors from natural sources like lichens in order to minimize the toxicity and side effects of the inhibitors currently used to control hyperglycemia. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vitro antidiabetic activity of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of lichens at various concentrations. Two lichens were collected from Mysore district, Karnataka and identified as Flavoparmelia caperata (L.) Ach. and Physcia aipolia (Ehrh. ex Humb.) Furnr. The alpha amylase inhibition assay showed that the methanolic extract of F. caperata had highest inhibition of 49% at 15mg/ml, followed by P. aipolia with 46% inhibition. The results of the work, therefore clearly indicate the potential of these extracts to manage hyperglycemia. Hence lichens could be exploited in the development of active agents in regulating the postprandial glucose level to control diabetesdr.hgrajkumar@botany.uni-mysore.ac.inResearch652015Flavoparmelia caperata,Physcia aipolia,Lichens,AntidiabeticRashmi Shivanna,Hengameh Parizadeh,Rajkumar H. GarampalliDepartment of Botany, Manasagangotri, University of Mysore, Mysore 570 006, Karnataka, India,Department of Botany, Manasagangotri, University of Mysore, Mysore 570 006, Karnataka, India,Department of Botany, Manasagangotri, University of Mysore, Mysore 570 006, Karnataka, India