Investigation on the hypoglycaemic effects of extracts of four Mexican medicinal plants in normal and alloxan-diabetic mice

Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Division de Ciencias Biologicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Apartado postal 55-535, 09340 Mexico D.F., Mexico

The hypoglycaemic activities of four water ethanol extracts (WEE) prepared from Bidens pilosa L., Salvia officinalis L., Psacalium peltatum H.B.K. (Cass) and Turnera diffusa Willd. were investigated in healthy and alloxan-diabetic mice The WEE of S. officinalis significantly reduced the blood glucose of fasting normal mice 120 (15.7%) and 240 min (30.2%) after intraperitoneal administration (p < 0.05). The WEE of P. peltatum and B. pilosa also significantly diminished glycaemia in healthy mice at 240 min (19.6% and 13.8%, respectively). In mildly diabetic mice, the WEE of P. peltatum lowered the basal blood glucose level 120 (16%) and 240 min (54%) after intraperitoneal administration (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The WEE of B. pilosa and S. officinalis also significantly diminished the hyperglycaemia in mildly diabetic mice at 240 mins (32.6% and 22.7%, respectively). The administration of these three extracts to animals with severe hyperglycaemia did not cause a significant decrease. The WEE of T. diffusa did not show any hypoglycaemic activity. Thus, three of the WEE studied conserved the hypoglycaemic activity originally detected in the traditional preparations of the studied antidiabetic plants. It appears that these extracts require the presence of insulin to show hypoglycaemic activity.

Psacalium decompositum, Psacalium peltatum and Acourtia thurberi (Asteraceae)

Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1997; 55:171-177

Effects of three Mexican medicinal plants (Asteraceae) on blood glucose levels in healthy mice and rabbits

F.J. Alarcon-Aguilar ^a, R. Roman-Ramos ^a, M. Jimenez-Estrada ^b, R. Reyes-Chilpa ^b, B. Gonzalez-Paredes ^b, J.L. Flores-Saenz ^a

^aDepartamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Division Ciencias Bioldgicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autdnoma Metropolitana, Unidad lztapalapa, Apdartado Postal 55-535. 09340 MOxico D.F., Mexico ^b lnstituto de Quimica. Universidad National Autdnoma de Mc;xico, Ciudad Universitaria. 4510 M~xico D.F., Mexico

The effects of Psacalium decompositum, Psacalium peltatum and Acourtia thurberi (Asteraceae) on blood glucose levels were investigated in fasting mice and temporally hyperglycemic rabbits. The root decoction of P. decompositum reduced the blood glucose of normal mice from 49.1 +_ 3.8 to 35.7 _+ 2.0 mg/dl after intraperitoneal administration (P≤ 0.005) and significantly lowered the hyperglycemic peak (17.1%) in rabbits with temporal hyperglycemia. P. peltatum and A. thurberi decoctions also diminished fasting glycemia in mice and hyperglycemia in rabbits, but the effects were minor. A preliminary phytochemical study using thin layer chromatography showed that water decoctions of the three roots contained alkaloids and sugars. P. decompositum and P. peltatum showed the presence of maturine. However, other furoeremophylanes, such as cacalol and cacalone were only present in P. decompositum. A. thurberi root water decoction showed the presence of the benzoquinone perezone, and its derivative pipitzol.

Psacalium decompositum

Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2000; 69:207-215

Hypoglycemic activity of root water decoction, sesquiterpenoids, and one polysaccharide fraction from Psacalium decompositum in mice

F.J. Alarcon-Aguilar ^a, M. Jimenez-Estrada ^b, R. Reyes-Chilpa ^b, B. Gonzalez-Paredes ^b, C.C. Contreras-Weber ^a, R. Roman-Ramos ^a

^a Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Di6isione Ciencias Biolo´gicas y de la Salud, Uni6ersidad Auto´noma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Apdo. Postal 55- 535, 09340 Me´xico D.F., Mexico ^b Instituto de Quý´mica, Uni6ersidad Nacional Autonoma de Me´xico, Ciudad Uni6ersitaria, 04510 Me´xico D.F., Mexico

The hypoglycemic activity of Psacalium decompositum (Asteraceae) was investigated in fasting healthy mice and alloxan-diabetic mice. The freeze-dried water decoction significantly reduced the blood glucose in normal mice (from 50.994.7 to 32.593.1 mg:dl) and in mild diabetic mice (from 208.5913.0 to 52.397.0 mg:dl), 240 min after intraperitoneal administration (PB0.005). This preparation also diminished fasting glycemia in severe diabetic mice, but the effects were minor (from 394.499.4 to 289.3939.5 mg:dl). The main sesquiterpenoid constituents from P. decompositum roots, cacalol, cacalone and maturin, as well as the transformation product cacalol acetate, did not show a hypoglycemic effect on healthy mice. Nevertheless, two polysaccharide fractions (F1 and F3) obtained from the freeze-dried water extract significantly reduced the fasting glycemia in healthy mice. The best results were obtained with the F1 fraction.

Hypoglycemic effect of extracts and fractions from Psacalium decompositum in healthy and alloxan-diabetic mice

The hypoglycemic effect of the hexane, methanol and water extracts obtained from roots of Psacalium decompositum (Asteraceae) was investigated in fasting healthy mice. Only the water extract significantly reduced blood glucose in a dose-dependent manner in normal mice after intraperitoneal administration (P<0.05). This water extract was macerated with methanol obtaining a precipitate (WMP fraction), and it was studied in healthy and alloxan-diabetic mice. The WMP fraction showed significant hypoglycemic activity in healthy and mild diabetic mice, but the administration of this fraction to animals with severe diabetes did not cause any significant decrease in blood glucose levels. Two polysaccharide components isolated from WMP fraction showed hypoglycemic effect when tested in healthy mice.