ABSTRACT
The world over, many plants are being used successfully - mainly in the form of teas - to counteract the effects of diabetes; and Brazil is no exception. This is especially true for patients suffering from noninsulin dependent (type II) diabetes. The article first summarizes the mechanisms reported in the scientific literature which explain hypoglycemic activity in plants. These include: Inhibition of the intestinal absorption of glucose; inhibition of alpha-glucosidase; and protection of the beta-pancreatic cells and of the liberated insulin. Also shown is the hypoglycemic activity of glycans. In a second section experimental results are presented with three plants widely used in Brazil as hypoglycemic agents: Myrcia multiflora (Lam.) D.C. (pedra-ume-caá); Punica granatum L. (roma, pomegranate); and Chrysobalanus icaco (abajeru). The experimental results show the activity of the plant extracts in the inhibition of the intestinal absorption of glucose.
Subject(s)
Humans , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacokinetics , Plant Extracts/pharmacokinetics , Polysaccharides/pharmacokinetics , Trisaccharides/pharmacology , Intestinal Absorption , alpha-Glucosidases/antagonists & inhibitors , Glucose/metabolism , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Plant Extracts/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Até ha algum tempo atras, as únicas opçoes de tratamento farmacológico do diabetes melito nao-insulinodependente eram as sulfoniluréias, as biguanidas e a insulina. Apenas recentemente se introduziu no mercado uma droga com princípio de açao farmacológica diverso, a acarbose, inibidor competitivo das alpha-glicosidases. A acarbose, ao que tudo indica, tem desempenho ao mínimo similar aos farmacos ja existentes, com atuaçao de destaque na reduçao dos níveis de hemoglobina glicosilada. Portanto, surge como uma opçao alternativa na monoterapia dos diabéticos controlados apenas com dieta e como reforço terapêutico bastante efetivo em associaçoes medicamentosas.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Trisaccharides/pharmacology , Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Trisaccharides/therapeutic useABSTRACT
A dimethoxy derivative of leucocyandin 3-O-beta-D-galactosyl cellobioside isolated from the bark of F. bengalensis Linn demonstrated antidiabetic action. On oral administration, it decreased blood sugar very significantly both in normal and moderately diabetic rats and increased serum insulin significantly in the latter at a dosage of 250 mg/kg for a 2 hr period. During one month treatment of the diabetic rats orally with the active principle, at a dosage of 100 mg/kg, there was a significant decrease in blood and urine sugar, certain lipid components in serum and tissues and glucose-6-phosphatase activity in liver, but significant increase in body weight and the activities of hexokinase and HMGCOA reductase in tissues as compared to diabetic control. The mechanism of action of the principle may be related to its protective/inhibitory action against the insulin degradative processes.