[Possible hypoglycemic effect of aloe vera L. high molecular weight fractions on type 2 diabetic patients]

Aloe vera L. high molecular weight fractions [AHM] containing less than 10 ppm of barbaloin and polysaccharide [MW: 1.000KD] with glycoprotein, verectin [MW 29KD], were prepared by patented hyper-dry system in combination of freeze-dry technique with micro wave and far infrared radiation. AHM produced significant decrease in blood glucose level sustained for 6 weeks of the start of the study. Significant decrease in triglycerides was only observed 4 weeks after treatment and continued thereafter. No deterious effects on kidney and liver functions were apparent. Treatment of diabetic patients with AHM may relief vascular complications probably via activation of immunosystem

Isolation and identification of a new homoisoflavan with potent antioxidant activity from commelina elegans

Potent antioxidative compounds have been isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Commelina elegans, Commelinaceae, using a repeated column chromatography. On the basis of spectral analyses, the compounds were identified as brazilin, brazilein and the new homoisoflavan-3, 7, 9, 3', 4'-ol [4-4] dimer with X- and Y-conformers. The compounds inhibited both enzymatic lipid peroxidation using rat liver microsomes and mitochondria and non-enzymatic reactions. The compounds completely protected the activities of the mitochondrial enzymes NADH- and succinate-cytochrome c reductase. Furthermore, the radical scavenging activity on enzymatically and non-enzymatically generated superoxide anion was investigated. Electron spin resonance using the spin trapping method suggested that the compounds have potent superoxide anion scavenging activities

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of Aloe emodin and barbaloin from Aloe vera L. leaves and their in-vitro cytotoxic activity

Aloe emodin and barbaloin, isolated as the active principles of the medicinal plant Aloe vera L., were extracted by supercritical fluid extraction [SFE] and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography [HPLC]. With optimized operating conditions for SFE, Aloe emodin and barbaloin were quantitatively extracted from A. vera leaves within 20 minutes at a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min, temperature and pressure at 40 °C and 3200 Psi respectively with the addition of 1 ml of methanol as a modifier. Separation of Aloe emodin and barbaloin, in a pure form, from the SFE extract was achieved using a semi-preparative column. The cytotoxic activity of both aloe emodin and barbaloin were evaluated using the in-vitro MTT colorimetric assay. Aloe emodin showed a cytotoxic activity on two human colon cancer cells lines [DLD-1 and HT-29] with IC[50] 8.94 and 10.78 micro M respectively, while barbaloin had no effect