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Diabetes mellitus is a group of disorders in the carbohydrate metabolism in which the insulin action is diminished or erased by a change in its secretion, a decrease in its activity (due to a decreased functionality of insulin sensors in the tissues) or a combination of these two factors. As the disease progresses, damage to tissues or to the vascular system can lead to severe complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular problems, and alimentary ulceration. Diabetes mellitus can be classified into several types; however, there are two main forms: type 1 (insulindependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). The most common disease of our time is the type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The DM2 usually develops more in the adult age, affecting mainly the elderly and/or obese individuals. In this context, the use of metformin in the treatment of DM2 patients can be highlighted. Found in its salt form, metformin hydrochloride, it is still nowadays the drug of choice by the National Health System in South America, Europe, and North America. Its usual oral dose is 500 mg, administered two to three times a day, which can be increased gradually to 1000 mg. There are more than one thousand articles and reviewed studies reporting the efficacy of metformin in treatment and prevention of DM2. A comprehensive study called United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study demonstrated the efficacy of metformin in the treatment and prevention of DM2. This study evidenced metformin as safe, cost effective and corroborates other studies that define metformin as the first line of diabetes therapy.

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RESUMO:Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC., Asteraceae, é uma planta amplamente utilizada na medicina popular no sul do Brasil, Uruguai, Argentina e Paraguai. As características tecnológicas do extrato seco por aspersão de Achyrocline satureioides, produzido em escala semi-industrial, assim como a viabilidade da produção de granulados são relatadas no presente trabalho. O extrato seco por aspersão foi caracterizado como um pó fino, composto por pequenas partículas esféricas com superfície rugosa e porosa. O fator de Hausner, índice de Carr e o índice de densificação das partículas foram, respectivamente, 1,23, 18,9% e 27,2 mL, caracterizando-o como um pó com fluxo pobre e de baixa densidade. A preparação dos granulados a partir deste extrato seco por aspersão, através do método de desagregação por via seca, originou grânulos com forma irregular, superfície rugosa, mas com melhor fluxo e melhores características de compactabilidade. Estes grânulos apresentaram fator de Hausner, índice de Carr e índice de densificação de 1,09, 8,16% e 12,33 mL, respectivamente. A análise por de CLAE dos polifenóis principais quercetina, luteolina e 3-O-metilquercetina revelou que o processo de granulação não altera o perfil quantitativo e qualitativo dos constituintes inicialmente presentes no extrato seco. A avaliação da estabilidade física do extrato seco por aspersão e do granulado, em condições de unidade relativa de 65 e 99%, mostrou uma expressiva redução na absorção de umidade dos grânulos quando comparados com o extrato seco.Unitermos: Achyrocline satureioides, fitomedicamentos, granulação por via seca, secagem por aspersão.ABSTRACT: Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC., Asteraceae, is a herbal specie widely used in folk medicine in the south of Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. The technological characteristics of an Achyrocline satureioides spray dried extract powder, produced in semiindustrial scale, as well as the feasibility of the granules are reported in the present work. The spray dried powder was characterized as a fine powder consisting of small spherical particles with rough and porous surface. The Hausner´s factor, Carr's index, and densification index of the spray dried powder were, respectively, 1,23, 18,9%, and 27,2 mL, characterizing it as a poor flow and low density powder. The preparation of granules from this spray dried powder, through dry disaggregation method, yielded irregularly shaped granules, with a rough surface, but with better flow and compactability characteristics. These granules presented a Hausner´s factor, a Carr's index, and a densification index of, respectively, 1,09, 8,16%, and 12,33 mL. The LC assay of the main polyphenols, quercetin, luteolin, and 3-O-methylquercetin revealed that the granulation process did not changed the quantitative and qualitative profile of these constituents originally present in the spray dried powder. The comparative evaluation of the physical stability of both the spray dried powder and the granules, under relative humidity conditions of 65% and 99%, ...