Useful ethnophytomedicinal recipes of angiosperms used against diabetes in South East Asian Countries [India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka]

This paper is based on data recorded from various literatures pertaining to ethnophytomedicinal recipes used against diabetes in South East Asia [India, Pakistan and Srilanka]

Traditional plant treatments have been used throughout the world for the therapy of diabetes mellitus. In total 419 useful phytorecipes of 270 plant species belonging to 74 Angiospermic families were collected. From the review it was revealed that plants showing hypoglycemic potential mainly belong to the families, Cucurbitaceae [16 spp.], Euphorbiaceae [15 spp.], Caesalpiniaceae and Papilionaceae [13 spp. Each], Moraceae [11 spp], Acanthaceae [10 spp.], Mimosaceae [09 spp], Asteraceae, Malvaceae and Poaceae [08 spp. Each], Hippocrateaceae, Rutaceae and Zingiberaceae [07 spp. Each], Apocynaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Verbenaceae [06 spp. Each], Apiaceae, Convolvulaceae, Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Solanaceae [05 spp.each]

The most active plants are Syzigium cumini[14 recipes], Phyllanthus emblica [09 recipes], Centella asiatica and Momordica charantia[08 recipes each], Azadirachta indica [07 recipes], Aegle marmelos, Catharanthus roseus, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus racemosa, Gymnema sylvestre [06 recipes each], Allium cepa, A. sativum, Andrographis paniculata, Curcuma longa [05 recipes each], Citrullus colocynthis, Justicia adhatoda, Nelumbo nucifera, Tinospora cordifolia, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Ziziphus mauritiana and Wattakaka volubilis [4 recipes each]

These traditional recipes include extracts, leaves, powders, tlour, seeds, vegetables, fruits and herbal mixtures

Data inventory consists of botanical name, recipe, vernacular name, English name

Some of the plants of the above data with experimentally confirmed antidiabetic properties have also been recorded. More investigations must be carried out to evaluate the mechanism of action of diabetic medicinal plants

Toxicity of these plants should also be explained. Scientific validation of these recipes may help in discovering new drugs from these medicinal plants for diabetes

Medicinal uses of honey [Quranic medicine] and its bee flora from Dera Ismail Khan District, KPK, Pakistan

This study was carried out during 2005-2008 to identify existing plant species visited by workers of honeybees for nectar and pollen collection in Dera Ismail Khan [D.I.Khan] District, Pakistan. The honeybee species investigated in the area were, rock bee [Apis dorsata F.], little bee [A. florea F.] and European honeybee [A. mellifera L.]. A detailed list of 86 plant species both wild and cultivated was prepared, out of which 12 species, Phulai [Acacia modesta Wall.], Sarsoon [Brassica campestris L.], Kaghzi nimboo [Citrus aurantifolia L.], Khatta [C. medica L.], Malta [C. sinensis [L.] Osbeck.], Shisham [Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.], Date [Phoenix dactylifera L.], Barseen [Trifolium alexandrianum L.], Shaftal [T. resupinatum L], Makai [Zea mays L.], Ber [Zizyphus mauritiana Lam.] and Jher beri [Z. numularia [Burm. f.] Wight and Arn.,] were found as major sources [table 1] for the production of surplus honey in a year at different localities in the District. Among the minor sources various plant species were included [table 2]. These plants fill the flowering gaps between the major sources in various parts of the year and help in continuous supply of food to honey bees