Comprehensive Review on Phytochemicals, Pharmacological and Clinical Potentials of Gymnema sylvestre

Abstract

Gymnema sylvestre is a plant included in Apocynaceae family and is located in many regions of Asia, Africa and Australia. This plant is widely used as a traditional therapy for different purposes. Even now it is being used as a dietary supplement due to its numerous therapeutic uses. It is known to have blood glucose lowering potential and, thus, is widely used in traditional and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. It renders glucose lowering activity due to the presence of phytochemicals, such as gurmarin, gymnemic acid as well as gymnemasaponins. Gymnema sylvestre is also known to have anti-oxidant, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, gastro and hepatoprotective, anticancer and lipid-lowering activities. This review discusses in details on different pharmacological and clinical potentials of Gymnema sylvestre and its chemical constituents associated with its therapeutic potentials.

Bioactive Compounds in Anti-Diabetic Plants: From Herbal Medicine to Modern Drug Discovery

“…The phytoconstituents of G. sylvestre consist of many groups containing bioactive compounds that are listed in the below table ( Table 3 ) [ 112 , 113 ].…”

“…The major biological active ingredient of G. sylvestre is Gymnemic acids—a group of triterpenoid saponins isolated and identified successfully ( Figure 11 ). Several studies have reported that the main biological activity of this plant is antidiabetic activity [ 113 ].…”

“…Other research on G. sylvestre extracts suggested that this extract could stimulate the release of insulin in vitro by permeabilizing the β-cell [ 115 ]. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the antidiabetic activity of G. sylvestre ( Figure 12 ) [ 113 , 116 , 117 ]. According to these literature, the action of Gymnemic acids in diabetic treatment was reported to be able to stimulate pancreatic cell production, thereby increasing insulin production, increase insulin sensitivity and insulin activity, help to control and stabilize blood glucose concentration in the body.…”

Evaluation of Antimalarial Potential of Aqueous Crude Gymnema Inodorum Leaf Extract against Plasmodium berghei Infection in Mice

“…In vitro and in vivo investigation G. sylvestre revealed the pharmacological potentials including antidiabetic and hypoglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, anticancer, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and immunosuppressive activities [ 8 ]. These actions are attributed to the therapeutically essential families of compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, kaempferol, quinones, anthraquinones, tannins, triterpenoid saponins, and gymnemic acids [ 9 ]. Gymnema inodorum (Lour.)…”

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“…Diabetes is linked with hepatic complications such as acute liver disease, raised liver enzyme levels and nonalcoholic fatty liver (Khan et al, 2019). The current study has explored the effect of CBSKE and GSLE separately and in combination on hepatic and lipid profiles in alloxanized diabetic rats.…”