Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect of leaves from Syzygium cumini (L. ) Skeels, Myrtaceae. in diabetic rats / Efeito hipoglicêmico e hipolipidêmico das folhas de Syzygium cumini (L. ) em ratos diabeticos

Ethanolic crude extract (ECE) of leaves from Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, Myrtaceae was screened for its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg v.o.). Rats were divided into three groups for the evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect: normal rats, rats with alloxan-induced diabetes and hyperglycemic normal rats. Hypolipidemia was evaluated in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes. The antihyperglycemic activity was compared to treatment with glibenclamide, an oral hypoglycemic agent. The acute treatment with S. cumini ECE caused a significant decrease in the blood glucose in hyperglycemic normal rats (250 mg/kg), and in glucose (125 and 250 mg/kg), triglyceride (125 and 500 mg/kg) and cholesterol (125 mg/kg) levels of diabetic rats, but no effect was observed in the normal treated rats. Syzygium cumini leaves are a good candidate for alternative and/or complementary medicine in the management of diabetes mellitus, since they showed hypoglycemic activity in addition to a hypolipidemic action in diabetic animals.

Na região de Criciúma-SC, as folhas de Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, Myrtaceae, conhecida popularmente como jambolão, são utilizadas para diminuir níveis de glicose plasmática em pessoas diabéticas. Dentro deste contexto o presente trabalho teve o interesse de avaliar o efeito hipoglicêmico e hipolipidêmico do extrato bruto hidroalcoólico (EBH) das folhas de S. cumini (125, 250 e 500 mg/kg). Para tal os animais foram divididos em três grupos para o efeito hipoglicêmico: ratos normais, ratos normais submetidos a curva de glicose (hiperglicêmicos) e ratos diabéticos induzidos com aloxana. O efeito hipolipidêmico foi avaliado em animais diabéticos induzidos por aloxana. O efeito hipoglicêmico foi comparado com glibenclamida. O tratamento agudo com EBH de S. cumini causou uma diminuição estatisticamente significativa na glicose sanguínea em animais normais que foram submetidos à cura de glicose (250 mg/kg), e sobre os níveis de glicose (125 e 250 mg/kg), triglicerídeo (125 e 500 mg/kg) e colesterol (125 mg/kg) em animais diabéticos. Nenhuma das doses testadas apresentou efeito em animais normais. Dentro deste contexto pode-se sugerir que o EBH das folhas de S. cumini pode ser uma alternativa terapêutica no tratamento alternativo ou complementar na diabete, uma vez que apresentou atividade hipoglicêmica e hipolipidêmica em animais diabéticos.

Antihyperlipidemic effect of Casearia sylvestris methanolic extract.

Casearia sylvestris methanolic extract (MCE) was screened at doses of 125-500 mg/kg for its antihyperlipidemic activity. The antihyperlipidemic effect was evaluated in olive oil-loaded mice. Acute treatment caused inhibition in the triglyceride (TG) and serum lipase elevation-induced by 5 ml/kg of olive oil.

Study of the antitumor potential of Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae) used in Brazilian folk medicine.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Bidens pilosa (L.) (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Brazil for treating conditions that can be related to cancer. Therefore the present study was carried out to evaluate the antitumor activity of extracts obtained from the aerial parts of this plant species. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The crude hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) (water:alcohol, 6:4) and solvent fractions (chloroform=CHCl3,ethyl acetate=EtOAc, methanol=MeOH) were assessed for cytotoxicity assay by the brine shrimp and hemolytic, MTT and NRU assays. The antiproliferative potential of the crude extract and fractions was investigated in vivo using the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in isogenic Balb/c mice that were administered intraperitoneally 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight per day for nine days beginning 24 h after tumor inoculation. RESULTS: In in vitro cytotoxicity using Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell line assay CHCl3 extract proved to be more toxic than the crude HAE with an IC(50) of 97+/-7.2 and 83+/-5.2 microg/mL to NRU and MTT, respectively. Histomorphological evaluations indicated that the treatment with CHCl3 and HAE extracts significantly reduced (P<0.05) body weight, abdominal circumference, tumor volume, packed cell volume and viable cell count, when compared to EAC control group. Furthermore, nonviable tumor cell count increased significantly (P<0.01) only under treatment with CHCl3 or HAE, and this was accompanied by a marked percentage increase in life span (54.2 and 41.7%, respectively). Biochemical assays revealed that CHCl3 and HAE extracts were also able to decrease serum LDH activity (39.5 and 30.6%) and GSH concentration (94.6 and 50.7%) in ascitic fluid, respectively. CONCLUSION: The chloroform fraction showed the best and methanolic the worst antitumor activity.

Acute effect of Trema micrantha (Ulmaceae) on serum glucose levels in normal and diabetic rats.

Trema micrantha (Ulmaceae) ethanolic crude extract (ECE) was screened for its hypoglycemic activity (250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg v.o.). The animals were divided in three groups for the evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect: normal rats, rats with alloxan-induced diabetes and hyperglycemic normal rats. The antihyperglycemic activity was compared to the treatment with glibenclamide, an oral hypoglycemic agent. Serum glucose was analyzed after the treatment of the animals. The acute treatment with Trema micrantha ECE (250 and 1,000 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in the blood glucose levels in diabetic rats, but no effect was observed among the normal treated rats nor the hyperglycemic normal rats. Trema micrantha's leaves are a good candidate for alternative and/or complementary medicine in the management of diabetes mellitus, since they showed beneficial effects on blood glucose levels.