Chilanti Gabriela, Branco Catia Santos, Touguinha Luciana Bavaresco Andrade, Lodi Karina Zanella, Rech Giovana, Jahn Matheus Parmegiani, Augusti Paula Rossini, Salvador Mirian, Flôres Simone Hickmann
Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds, Food Science and Technology Institute, Postgraduate Program in Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Laboratory of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants, Biotechnology Institute, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil.
Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2025 Feb 22;80(1):75. doi: 10.1007/s11130-025-01312-z.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease characterized by issues in insulin metabolism and consequent hyperglycemia, associated with oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Current pharmacotherapy for DM is not fully effective, as complications continue even after glycemic control. Thus, plants rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential may be valuable in DM management. Begonia cucullata is a non-conventional edible plant rich in phenolic compounds and traditionally used in medicine as an anti-diabetic agent. However, pharmacological studies on this plant are scarce. This study evaluated the antidiabetic potential of B. cucullata flowers (BFE) and leaves (BLE) extracts in human endothelial cells and rats. Endothelial cells were cultivated in normal (25mM) or high (35mM) glucose and exposed to BFE or BLE (1-100 µg/mL) for 24 h. Healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats received BFE (200 mg/kg) orally for 4 weeks. HPLC analyses of extracts revealed gallic acid, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin in BFE, whereas BLE exhibited epigallocatechin and myricetin. Both extracts displayed antioxidant activity in vitro and were able to protect cells against oxidative damage caused by glucose overload. BFE attenuated oxidative stress and decreased triglyceride levels in diabetic rats, besides being not hepatotoxic or nephrotoxic. The data suggests that B. cucullata extracts may be potential adjuncts in DM therapy by exerting antioxidant effects and improving triglyceride levels.
糖尿病（DM）是一种以胰岛素代谢问题及随之而来的高血糖为特征的疾病，与氧化应激和内皮功能障碍相关。目前用于糖尿病的药物治疗并不完全有效，因为即使血糖得到控制，并发症仍会持续出现。因此，富含具有抗氧化潜力的生物活性化合物的植物可能在糖尿病管理中具有重要价值。秋海棠是一种富含酚类化合物的非传统可食用植物，传统上用作抗糖尿病药物。然而，对这种植物的药理研究很少。本研究评估了秋海棠花（BFE）和叶（BLE）提取物在人内皮细胞和大鼠中的抗糖尿病潜力。内皮细胞在正常（25mM）或高（35mM）葡萄糖条件下培养，并暴露于BFE或BLE（1-100μg/mL）24小时。健康大鼠和链脲佐菌素诱导的糖尿病大鼠口服BFE（200mg/kg），持续4周。提取物的HPLC分析显示，BFE中含有没食子酸、儿茶素、表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯、表儿茶素和表没食子儿茶素，而BLE中含有表没食子儿茶素和杨梅素。两种提取物在体外均表现出抗氧化活性，能够保护细胞免受葡萄糖过载引起的氧化损伤。BFE除了不具有肝毒性或肾毒性外，还减轻了糖尿病大鼠的氧化应激并降低了甘油三酯水平。数据表明，秋海棠提取物可能通过发挥抗氧化作用和改善甘油三酯水平，成为糖尿病治疗中的潜在辅助药物。
