Antihyperglycemic Effects of Gymnemic Acid IV, a Compound Derived fromGymnema sylvestreLeaves in Streptozotocin-Diabetic Mice

Abstract

We investigated the antihyperglycemic action of a crude saponin fraction and five triterpene glycosides (gymnemic acids I-IV and gymnemasaponin V) derived from the methanol extract of leaves of Gymnema sylvestre R. BR. (Asclepiadaceae) in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice. The saponin fraction (60mg/kg) reduced blood glucose levels 2 4h after the intraperitoneal administration. Gymnemic acid IV, not the other 4 glycosides at doses of 3.4-13.4mg/kg reduced the blood glucose levels by 13.5-60.0% 6h after the administration comparable to the potency of glibenclamide, and did not change the blood glucose levels of normal mice. Gymnemic acid IV at 13.4 mg/kg increased plasma insulin levels in STZ-diabetic mice. Gymnemic acid IV (1 mg/mL) did not inhibit alpha-glycosidase activity in the brush border membrane vesicles of normal rat small intestines. These results indicate that insulin-releasing action of gymnemic acid IV may contribute to the antihyperglycemic effect by the leaves of G. sylvestre. Gymnemic acid IV may be an anti-obese and antihyperglycemic pro-drug.

Potential anti-diabetic activity of <i>Bombax ceiba</i>

“…Hypoglycemic effect of various triterpenoids and steroids from natural resources had been investigated and documented by various researchers (Sugihara et al, 2000;Tan et al, 2008;Hai-Xue et al, 2011). The extract is widely used and prescribed by tribal of India as an alternative or complementary diabetes treatment .…”

Medicinal Potentials and Toxicity Concerns of Bioactive Principles

“…fruits exhibited hypoglycemic, anti-peroxidative and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in Type I diabetic rats [128]. Charantin (XV) isolated from Momordica charantia L. possesses an insulin-like activity with which it promotes insulin secretion, and thereby lowers hepatic glycogenesis [129]. Also, diverse saponins such as β-sitosterol (XVI) present in Azadirachta indica A., andrographolide (XVII), a diterpenoid lactone, obtained from Andrographis paniculata Nees and gymnemic acid IV (XVIII) isolated from Gymnema sylvestre R., are agents of glycemic control in animal models [130,131].…”

HPTLC/HPLC and gravimetric methodology for the identification and quantification of gymnemic acid fromGymnema sylvestremethanolic extracts

“…Many authors had isolated and identified GA earlier in leaf explants of methanol extracts. In 1989, Yoshikawa and co-workers isolated GAs from a hot water extract of G. sylvestre, which they named GA, I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII, respectively, and evaluated using HPLC [28,29]. The above mentioned OPGRs sample kept under abiotic stress conditions and the developed callus methanol extracts were further analyzed (Fig.…”