Hypoglycemic Effect of Two Mexican Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a worldwide prevalent disease that is due to a progressive loss of adequate β-cell insulin secretion, frequently against a background of insulin resistance. In Mexican traditional medicine, the therapeutic use of hypoglycemic plants to control the disease is a common practice among type 2 diabetic patients. In the present work, we examined the traditional use of the aerial parts of Eryngium longifolium and the rhizome of Alsophila firma, consumed by people use over the day (in fasting state) to control their blood glucose levels, therefore, we aimed to assess the acute hypoglycemic effect of both plants. First, basic phytochemical profiles of both plants were determined and, subsequently, acute toxicity tests were carried out. Then, in vivo hypoglycemic tests were performed in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) induced hyperglycemic Wistar rats and finally the effect of the plants on three enzymes involved in glucose metabolism was assayed in vitro. Through HPLC-DAD chromatography, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, isoflavones, and glycosylated flavonoids were identified in E. longifolium, while the possible presence of flavanones or dihydroflavonols was reported in A. firma. Both plants exhibited a statistically significant hypoglycemic effect, without a dose-dependent effect. Furthermore, they inhibited glucose 6-phosphatase and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in in vitro assays, which could be associated with the hypoglycemic effect in vivo. Thus, this study confirmed for the first time the traditional use of the aerial part of E. longifolium and the rhizome of A. firma as hypoglycemic agents in a hyperglycemic animal model. In addition, it was concluded that their ability to regulate hyperglycemia could involve the inhibition of hepatic glucose output, which mainly controls glucose levels in the fasting state.

Ethnobotany, Biological Activities and Phytochemical Compounds of Some Species of the Genus Eryngium (Apiaceae), from the Central-Western Region of Mexico

“…Eryngium longifolium is another of the species used to treat diabetes in Hidalgo, where it is given the name “piñuela”, where the form of use is as an infusion of the dried plant (aerial part) taken throughout the day (“agua de uso”) [ 35 , 36 ]. In addition, its use as a diuretic, emmenagogue, and alexiteric has been reported [ 37 ], similar to Eryngium fluitans [ 38 ].…”

“…A dose-independent hypoglycemic effect has been reported for E. longifolium . Andrade-Cetto et al (2021) [ 35 ] evaluated aqueous (30 and 310 mg/kg doses) and ethanolic (32 and 318 mg/kg doses) extracts of the aerial parts of the plant in hyperglycemic STZ-NA Wistar rats. Previously, the authors determined the basic phytochemical profiles (see next section) and acute toxicity tests, which did not show any physical problems or behavioral changes after oral administration of the maximum dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)…”

Eryngium Species as a Potential Ally for Treating Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes

“…While Metformin inhibits functional and structural damage of renal cells and hypoxia by using AMPK activation, this combination improved oxidative stress conditions and prevented diabetic renal injury ( 5 ). In a more recent study provided by del Cetto ( 54 ), author addressed the problem of impaired hepatic glucose production during gluconeogenesis, which is the main source of fasting hyperglycemia, making it one of the contributors to postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. The main enzymes in the pathway are G6Pase and FBPase.…”

“…The ethanolic extract of E. longifolium was evaluated and it was observed that it inhibited the activity of G6Pase by 75% and FBPase was inhibited 100% with a concentration of 5,000 μg/mL. The presence of rosmarinic and chlorogenic acids, which E. longifolium have as major compounds, were responsible for inhibiting such enzymes, since chlorogenic acid is a weak inhibitor of α-glucosidases and rosmarinic acid has a significant reduction power over G6Pase and FBPase, thus controlling the overproduction of glucose in diabetes ( 54 ). The possibility has been raised that the efficiency of the process is due to the solubility of active polar organic compounds in it, since most of the active polar compounds tend to be extracted with chloroform and ethyl acetate, leaving a very small proportion of remaining compounds in the last fraction ( 28 ).…”

Plantas medicinales de la familia Asteraceae con actividad hipoglucemiante en México. Una revisión

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Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent disease throughout the world, it is due to a progressive loss of adequate insulin secretion [4] in Mexico the use of medicinal plants is a common practice to treat this disease , it is estimated that at least 800 plants are used to treat diabetes in Mexico [9], of which there is very little scientific evidence to support their hypoglycemic activity, therefore, their research is essential, under In this context, this small review aims to provide information that contains, on the one hand, a list of 13 plants (Asteraceae) showing the phytochemicals isolated from hypoglycemic plants belonging to the Asteraceae family and on the other hand, a compilation of data on the Empirical use of 40 plants (Asteraceae) reported in Mexico as hypoglycemic, therefore, it is expected that the plants (Asteraceae) presented here will further broaden the knowledge base information on the various plants available for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

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