Mexican Antidiabetic Herbs: Valuable Sources of Inhibitors of α-Glucosidases

Abstract

Type II-diabetes mellitus (TII-DM) has been regarded as one of the most important public health problems in all nations in the 21st century. Although allopathic therapies remain the most important for the initial management of TII-DM, herbal remedies have gained wide acceptance for treating this condition. These alternative therapies are particularly valued in countries such as Mexico, rich in medicinal plants strongly attached to the cultural values of the population. Medicinal plants are prized sources of α-glucosidase inhibitors, which delay the liberation of glucose from complex carbohydrates, retarding glucose absorption, and thus controlling the characteristic hyperglycemia of TII-DM. Among the plant species used for treating diabetes in Mexico only 38 have been analyzed for their inhibitory activity of α-glucosidases. Most of these studies, reviewed in the present work, have focused on the evaluation of different types of extracts on the activity of α-glucosidases from diverse sources. Four species have been thoroughly analyzed in order to discover novel α-glucosidase inhibitors, namely, Hintonia latiflora and Hintonia standleyana (Rubiaceae), Ligusticum porteri (Apiaceae), and Brickellia cavanillesii (Asteraceae). Their ethnomedical uses, pharmacological and toxicological studies, chemical composition, and antihyperglycemic principles with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity are summarized.

Evaluation of Glucosidase Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Potential of Five Selected Edible and Medicinal Ferns

“…with cytotoxic and antiglucosidase activities can be used in the development of chemopreventive and antidiabetic therapies [12,13]. Alpha (α)-glucosidase is one of the key therapeutic targets in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.…”

Antidiabetic Evaluation of Momordica charantia L Fruit Extracts

“…There is an increasing need for effective, economical and accessible natural antidiabetic agents, as diabetes mellitus has led to serious morbidity and mortality worldwide (1,2). Several studies have acknowledged the antidiabetic effects of Momordica charantia (MC) which has insulin secretagogue and insulinomimetic activities.…”

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel neoflavonoid derivatives as potential antidiabetic agents

“…The antidiabetic activity was determined by using a standard method. 26 As shown in Table 5, the target compounds 8l, 8m and 8n (10 mg kg À1 , 30 mg kg À1 and 100 mg kg À1 of bw) caused decreases in blood glucose levels in STZ-diabetic mice compared with normal mice (Table 6). Especially, 8l (30 mg kg À1 of bw) caused signicant decreases in blood glucose levels when compared with vehicletreated groups (p < 0.05).…”

“…In vitro a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. 26 aGlucosidases, enzymes anchored in the brush border of the small intestine, are responsible for catalyzing the hydrolysis of carbohydrates.…”