Shahreen Shejuty, Banik Joyanta, Hafiz Abdul, Rahman Shahnaz, Zaman Anahita Tanzia, Shoyeb Md Abu, Chowdhury Majeedul H, Rahmatullah Mohammed
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.
Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2011 Dec 29;9(2):287-91. eCollection 2012.
Averrhoa carambola L. (Oxalidaceae), Ficus hispida L.f. (Moraceae), and Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M. Perry (Myrtaceae) are three common plants in Bangladesh, the fruits of which are edible. The leaves and fruits of A. carambola and F. hispida are used by folk medicinal practitioners for treatment of diabetes, while the leaves of S. samarangense are used for treatment of cold, itches, and waist pain. Since scientific studies are absent on the antihyperglycemic effects of the leaves of the three plants, it was the objective of the present study to evaluate the antihyperglycemic potential of methanolic extract of leaves of the plants in oral glucose tolerance tests carried out with glucose-loaded mice. The extracts at different doses were administered one hour prior to glucose administration and blood glucose level was measured after two hours of glucose administration (p.o.) using glucose oxidase method. Significant oral hypoglycemic activity was found with the extracts of leaves of all three plants tested. The fall in serum glucose levels were dose-dependent for every individual plant, being highest at the highest dose tested of 400 mg extract per kg body weight. At this dose, the extracts of A. carambola, F. hispida, and S. samarangense caused, respectively, 34.1, 22.7, and 59.3% reductions in serum glucose levels when compared to control animals. The standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, caused a 57.3% reduction in serum glucose levels versus control. Among the three plants evaluated, the methanolic extract of leaves of S. samarangense proved to be the most potent in demonstrating antihyperglycemic effects. The result validates the folk medicinal uses of A. carambola and F. hispida in the treatment of diabetes, and indicates that the leaves of S. samarangense can also possibly be used for amelioration of diabetes-induced hyperglycemia.
阳桃（酢浆草科）、对叶榕（桑科）和洋蒲桃（桃金娘科）是孟加拉国三种常见的植物，它们的果实均可食用。阳桃和对叶榕的叶子及果实被民间医生用于治疗糖尿病，而洋蒲桃的叶子则用于治疗感冒、瘙痒和腰痛。由于目前尚无关于这三种植物叶子降血糖作用的科学研究，本研究的目的是在给葡萄糖负荷小鼠进行的口服葡萄糖耐量试验中，评估这三种植物叶子甲醇提取物的降血糖潜力。在给予葡萄糖前1小时给予不同剂量的提取物，并在给予葡萄糖（口服）2小时后使用葡萄糖氧化酶法测量血糖水平。在所测试的所有三种植物叶子提取物中均发现了显著的口服降血糖活性。每种植物血清葡萄糖水平的下降均呈剂量依赖性，在每千克体重400毫克提取物的最高测试剂量下下降幅度最大。在此剂量下，与对照动物相比，阳桃、对叶榕和洋蒲桃的提取物分别使血清葡萄糖水平降低了34.1%、22.7%和59.3%。标准降血糖药物格列本脲与对照相比使血清葡萄糖水平降低了57.3%。在所评估的三种植物中，洋蒲桃叶子的甲醇提取物在显示降血糖作用方面最为有效。该结果证实了阳桃和对叶榕在治疗糖尿病方面的民间药用价值，并表明洋蒲桃的叶子也可能可用于改善糖尿病引起的高血糖。
