Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 12 (1984) Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.

253-262

253

A STUDY OF THE HYPOGLUCEMIC PLANTS

EFFECT OF SOME MEXICAN

R.M. P&REZ MORROW

G., A. OCEGUEDA

Z., J.L. MUGOZ

L., J.G. AVILA

A. and W.W.

Laboratorio de Investigation en Productos Naturales - Uiicse, Escuela National de Estudios Profesionales Iztacala, U.N.A.M., Los Reyes, Iztacala, 54090, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico) (Accepted August 12,1984)

Summary

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that annually causes many deaths, and to date no really efficient remedy has been found. We studied a number of plants traditionally used in Mexico against diabetes, some of them since prehispanic times. Specimens of each species were collected and extracts from them were tested on CD, strain mice with alloxan-induced diabetes. Hypoglucemic activity was determined by the 0-toluidine and the Dextrostix tape methods. Several of the plants showed a marked hypoglucemic effect.

Introduction

Diabetes has probably been known to medical science longer than any other hereditary metabolic ailment, yet in many respects it is still poorly understood. From the many studies done on the existing methods of treating diabetes one may conclude that none is completely satisfactory. One area receiving attention today is that of herbal or folk medicines, whose traditions attribute antidiabetic properties to many plants. In the present study we sought to evaluate the effectiveness of some Mexican plants. Twenty one plants were surveyed for hypoglucemic properties, and the results are presented in this paper. Follow-up studies were done on the plants that showed the greatest activity, with the aim of isolating and identifying the active compounds. The plants tested in this survey were chosen from among a great number of species sold in herb markets in Mexico. Each species was carefully identified. Both vendors and buyers were interviewed to gather information on the traditional uses of each plant and on the methods of preparation and admini031%8741/84/$03.30 Published and Printed 0 1984 Elsevier in Ireland Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.

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stration. This information was complemented with information from bibliographical sources. The plants studied are listed in Table 1, and there follows a brief description of each species. Brief description Acrocomia mexicana Karw (Cocoyol, coy01 baboso, guacoyul). A thorny palm, height 10-20 m, with pinnate leaves, spherical fruits with a diameter of 4-5 cm, a mucilaginous mesocarp and a very hard woody endocarp with an oily kernel. Grows near the coast, mainly along the Pacific coastline (Garcia, 1968). Native use: antidiabetic. Part of the plant used: fruit. Administration: oral. Bidens leucantha (rosilla, saetilla, romerillo bland0 de Cuba). Herbaceous, rarely subfrutescent; leaves commonly opposed; heads few to numerous, in ours yellow and radiate, doubly involucrate as in the genus Coreopsis, achenes (in ours) linear, flattened or subquadrangular; pappus usually from 2 to 4 commonly retroshispid awns (Reiche, 1977). Native use: antidiabetic, antiseptic, hepatic congestion, astringent, cathartic.
TABLE 1

FAMILY Palmae Compositae Compositae Compositae Labiatae Scrophulariaceae Moraceae Rubiaceae Myrtaceae Lotoidaceae Polemoniaceae Bignoniaceae Loranthaceae Nyctaginaceae Bignoniaceae Bignoniaceae Valerianaceae Valerianaceae Valerianaceae Compositae Compositae

GENUS

SPECIES

Acrocomia Bidens Bidens Cacalia Calamin tha Capraria Cecropia Cou tarea Eucalyptus Eysenhard tia Loeselia Permantiera Psittacanthus Salpianthus Tecoma Turnera Valeriana Valeriana Valer?ana Verbesina Verbesina

mexicana leucan tha pilosa decomposita macrostema biflora obtusifolia latiflora glo bulus polystachya mexicana edulk calyculatus arenarius stans diffusa mexicana 0 fficinalis edulis ssp. procera crocata persicifolia

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Part of the plant used: complete plant, flowers. Administration: oral, local, parenteral. Bidelts pilosa Ramirez y Alcocer (aceitilla, te de Veracruz). A herbaceous, forage plant, serrated leaves of 3-5 lobes, flowers in capitula with white ligules. Found in the states of Mexico, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Chiapas (Shnches, 1980). Native use: antidiabetic, diuretic, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, thorax, antiseptic. Part of the plant used: complete plant, flowers. Administration: local, oral, parenteral. Cucdia decompositu Gray (maturi, matarique). Herbaceous, height about 1 m, with rhizomes and fibrous roots; lower part of stalk wooly; leaves divided into sharp segments; flowers in heads. The root has a hot, bitter flavor. Found in Sonora and Chihuahua (Standley, 1946b). Native use: antidiabetic, antiseptic, hepatic congestion, antidysentery, antidiarrhea, antirheumatic, astringent. Part of the plant used: root, stem. Administration: oral, local. Culuminthu mucrostemu (tabaquillo, te de monte, hierba de1 borracho, poleo, tuche). A bush, at times reaching a height of 2.5 m, leaves are oval-formed or oblong, acuminate, tapering, serrate. Sparcely villous-hirsute beneath; corolla around 3 cm long. The plant steeped in water is used as a remedy for stomach and intestinal ailments. The leaves are used as a substitute for jasmine tea. Found in the States of Mexico and Morelos, occasionally in other States (Reiche, 1977). Native use: pregnancy indispofiition, analgesic, restitution of lost mobility, aperitif, antispasmodic, antigrippe, diaphoretic, anesthetic, gastrointestinal affectation, antidiabetic, antidysentery, diuretic, cathartic. Part of the plant used: root, stem. Administration: local, oral. Cupruriu bifloru U. Williams (malvavisco, claudiosa) Herbaceous, up to 1 m in height; leaves alternate, oblanceolate to oblong, serrated, hairy; flowers monopetalous white, in pairs, placed in leaf axils. Common weed in hot, and especially in dry climates (Standley, 1970). Native use: antigonorrhea, antiartralgic, affectation of ovary, antidiabetic. Part of the plant used: leaves. Administration: oral, local.

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Cecropia obtusifoliu Bert; C. mexicana Hems1 (guarumo, guarumbo, chancarro). A tree about 20 m tall, with milky juice; trunk single or slightly branched; leaves with long petioles, lamina suborbicular with lo-13 lobes, underside stormy white; separate male and female flowers with spikes, 15-30 cm long; fruit oblong. Trunk often inhabited by ants. Found in the States of Veracruz, Tabasco, Sinaloa, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Yucatan (Standley, 1946a; Gomez, 1966). Native use: antidiabetic, diuretic, hepatic congestion, obesity, digitalis, wart. Part of the plant used: leaves, stem. Administration: oral, local. Couturea iutifloru Mot and Sess (campanillo, copalche, corteza de Jojutla, palo amargo, quina de Michoacan). Bush or small tree, height up to 7 m; leaves are opposed, ovate, oval or oblong, 4-12 cm long; flowers are monopetalous, white, aromatic, 5-7 cm long; fruit is a ribbed oblong capsule, 2 cm long; bark is bitter. Grows from south-eastern Chihuahua to Guerrero and Chiapas (Standley, 1946b) Native use: antidiabetic, tonic, illness of kidneys, typhus, antidiarrhea, diuretic, antimalarial, dermatitis, nephritis. Part of the plant used: leaves, stem, complete plant, Administration: oral, local. Eucalyptus globulus Labill (eucalipto, alcanfor, gigante) A tall rapidly growing, tree with peely bark; leaves of sprouts are wide, opposite and ash-colored, others are alternate, curved and leathery; leaves are camphor-scented when crushed; flowers are white; truncated, with many stamens and subpyramidal calix, and a little consistence cover in place of the corolla. Native to Australia, grows throughout Mexico (Font-Quer, 1980). Native use: antigrippe, antiseptic, urethritis, pyelonephritis, gastritis, laryngitis, enteritis, bronchitis, cystitis, antimalarial, antipyretic. Part of the plant used: leaves. Administration: oral. Eysenhardtiu polystachyu Ortega (Cuate, blanco, palo cuate, palo dulce, rosilla). Bush or tree of up to 8 m; leaves pinnate with 21-51 leaflets, oblong or oval, measuring lo-12 mm; flowers white, 7 mm long, aromatic, honeybearing; fruit a pod lo-15 mm long by 3-5 mm wide. The wood, when put in water, gives it a blue color that changes to red, yellow, green, etc., depending on the angle of the light. Chihuahua and Sonora to State of Mexico, Oaxaca, etc. (Reiche, 1977). Native use: illness of urinary tract, illness of eyes, diuretic, antipyretic,

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~tisp~modi~, ~fectation of kidneys, hip, ~tidiabeti~. Part of the plant used: complete plant, stem. Administration: oral, local. LoeseEia mexicana (Lam). Brand. (huitzitziltzin, huitzitzilxochitl, quachichil, hierba de la virgen). Bushy plant reaching a height of l-5 m, glandular pubescent; leaves lanceolate or lanceolate-oval formed, sharply serrated; flowers red, 2-5 cm long. Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Oaxaca, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi, Puebla (Sanches, 1980). Native use: ~tidiabetic, antipyretic, diuretic, tonic capillary, cathartic, typhus, expectorant, pneumonia, diapho~tic, emetic. Part of the plant used: complete plant, stem, leaves. Administration: oral, local. Perman tiera edulis (guajilote, cuajilote, guachilote, huajilote. Nahuatl name cuau-xilotl). A tree from 4.5 to 9 m tall; branches armed with short stout in curved spines; petioles long, naked or narrowly winged; leaves glabrous, elliptical, oval-formed, from 3 to 8.5 cm long; fruit from 10 to 16 cm long and 2 cm wide. Frequently cultivated for shade and for its fruit, which is sweet and edible and considered a good cold remedy. The roots are used as a diuretic, especially in the treatment of dropsy, and the juice of the leaves was formely, at least, dropped into the ears as a cure for deafness. The flowers are greenish white or greenish yellow, and the fruit green tinged with yellow (Stichez, 1980). Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Campeche, Oaxaca; type from Yautepec, Morelos. Native use: illness of urinary tract, otitis, nephritis, diuretic, gastroenteritis, typhus, cathartic, antidiabetic. Part of the plant used: root, fruit. Administration: oral, local. ~~~~ac~~~~~scu~ycu~~tus (IX.). (mal de ojo, injerto, visco, muerdago, chicomacatl). A parasitic plant, height 1 m; branches square and compressed; leaves opposed, thick, somewhat hooked, flowers red or yellow, showy; fruit a sticky berry (Sanchez, 1980). Native use: antidiabetic, antispasmodic, diuretic, tonic. Part of the plant used: flowers, leaves, stem. Administration: local, oral. Salpiunthus arenarius H.B.K. G. Ortega (catarinita, catarinilla). Herbaceous plant reaching 1.5 m; leaves elliptic-lanceolate, 2.5 cm long; flowers pink, in racemes.

258

Sinaloa to Michoaczin (Standley, Native use: antidiabetic. Part of the plant used: flowers. Administration: oral.

1946b).

Tecoma stuns (L) H.B.K. (tronadora, flor de San Pedro, hierba de San Nicolas, lluvia de oro, trompeta, minona). Bush or small tree l-8 m tall; leaves opposed, pinnate with 5-13 ovatelanceolate or elliptical leaflets, sharp and serrated; flowers monopetalous, yellow, with 5 lobes and 4 stamens; fruit a straight capsule, lo-20 cm long by 8-10 mm wide, with winged seeds. Leaves are bitter and are used medicinally. Grows throughout Mexico, most common in central and southern regions (Reiche, 1977). Native use: antidiabetic, analgesic, tonic, gastritis, emetocathartic, diuretic, aperitif, gastrointestinal affectation, antipyretic. Part of the plant used: complete plant, stem. Administration: oral. Turnera diffusu Willd (damiana, hierba de la pastora, hierba de1 venado, pastorcita). A bush, height 60-100 cm; leaves alternate, oblong, crenate-dentate, fragrant with fine hair, 1-2 cm long; axillary flowers 8-12 mm long with 5 yellowish petals and 5 styles; the fruits are small capsules. Found throughout Mexico (Standley, 1946b). Native use: diuretic, antidiabetic, cathartic, orchitis, nephritis, expectorant, against sexual incapacity, aphrodisiac. Part of the plant used: complete plant, leafs. Administration: oral. Vuleriuna mexicana D.C. Meyer (hierba de1 gato, raiz de1 gato, valeriana de Mexico, cuitlapatli). Herbaceous plant about 1 m high; leaves are pinnate, oval-formed, proportioned, serrated or subcrenate; flowers white and funnel-shaped or subcampanulate, about 3 mm long with 3 stamens. The fruit is an achene, and the thick root has a disagreeable odor. Valley of Mexico, Puebla, Veracruz (Reiche, 1977). Native use: antidiabetic, antispasmodic, hysteria. Part of the plant used: root. Administration: oral.

(valeriana extranjera). A herbaceous plant, height up to 1 m; the stem is cylindrical and grooved, hollow, fistular. Flowers are numerous, clustered in umbels; the calix is not visible, the corolla is tubular. The fruit is dry and compressed, with one seed.

Valeriana officinalis

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Flowers in spring and summer, from May on depending on the site (FontQuer, 1980). Native use: antidiabetic, antispasmodic, antiparasitic. Part of the plant used: root, Administration: oral.
Vuleriana edulis Nutt. ssp. procera Meyer: Valeriana procera H.B.K. (hierba de1 gato). A sturdy plant measuring 70-80 cm, with thick root, basal leaves oblongelliptical or oblong, up to 16 cm long, cauline are arranged in pairs. Flowers from August to September; flowers are panicled. Root is edible; used cooked as a tranquilizer. Found at Cerro Teutli, Valley of Toluca, Rio Frio and mountains around the valley of Mexico (Sanchez, 1980). Native use: antidiabetic, antispasmodic, analgesic. Part of the plant used: root. Administration: oral. Verbesina crocatu (Cav). Less (capitaneja, nahuiliput, zacanahuiteputz, chimalacatl) .

A tall herb with wing-shaped stem; leaves compound, pinnatifid, lo-23 cm long, flowers in red or orange capitula. Nayarit to Veracruz, Morelos, State of Mexico, Guerrero, Oaxaca (Sinchez, 1980). Native use: antidiabetic, illness of eyes, diuretic, diaphoretic, cathartic, antipyretic, astringent, aphrodisiac. Part of the plant used: flowers, leaves. Administration: oral, local.
persicifolia DC. (huichim). A bush 2 m high; leaves alternate with petioles 7-12 mm long, lamina lanceolate-elliptical to oblong-ovalate, narrowing at both ends, serrate, 714 cm long; flowers in small yellow capitula. Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo (Sanchez, 1980) Native use: antidiabetic, diuretic. Part of the plant used: leaves, flowers. Administration: oral. Verbesina

Materials and methods The hypoglucemic properties of these plants were studied by preparing four different concentrations of extract (25, 50, 75 and 100 g per 250 ml of water) from each plant, and testing them on male mice (CD, strain) (Rodriguez, 1975). The following four groups of 30 mice each were used with each plant:

TABLE

2 ORAL ADMINI-

HYPOGLUCEMIC ACTIVITY IN ALLOXANIC MICE FOLLOWING STRATION OF EXTRACTS FROM FAMILY COMPOSITAE Extract (50 g/250 Hz0 Control group B. leucantha B. pilosa C. decomposita Hypoglucemic ml Initial glucemia 186.4 187.2 189.5 0-Toluidine 186.5 60.2 50.8 90.3 110.8 111.5 Nelson-Somogyi 185.6 60.1 49.5 89.7 111.7 110.8 activity (mg/lOO ml blood,

mean values) Dextrostix 175 90 60 90 130 130

V. erocata V. persicifolia

189.3 188.6

(a) control group, given distilled water administered orally; (b) control group, given distilled water administered intraperitoneally; (c) alloxanic group, which received the plant extract orally; (d) alloxanic group, which received the plant extract intraperitoneally. Glucemia was determined 5 h after the administration of the infusion by the Nelson-Somo~i (Nelson, 1944; Somogyi, 1952), the O-toluidine and the Dextrostix tape (Ames Co. Division Miles Laboratories Inc., U.S.A.} methods, on blood samples taken by cutting the tip of the tail. The results are expressed in mg of glucose per 100 ml of blood. (Tables Z-5). Discussion Of the twenty-one Mexican plants studied, only Permantiera edulis had no hypoglucemic activity. Others, such as Verbesina and Valeriana, showed slight activity. The best antidiabetic plants were Tecoma stuns (already studied), Salpianthus arenarius, Bidens pilosa, Cecropia obtusifolia, Psittacanthus ca~yculatus, Turnera diffusa and Coutarea lat~flora. The first four
TABLE 3 IN ALLOXANIC OF EXTRACTS activity MICE FOLLOWING INTRAPERIFROM FAMILY COMPOSITAE ml blood, mean values) Dextrostix 175 60

HYPOGLUCEMIC ACTIVITY TONEAL ADMINISTRATION Extract (50 g/250 H,O Control group Hypoglucemic ml

(mg/lOO 0-Toluidine 190.2 58.6 49.7

Initial glucemia 191.6 189.8

Nelson-Somogyi 189.3 58.3 48.9

B. leucantha 3. piEosa C. decomposita V. crocata V. persicifolia

190.5 192.3 188.6

85.3 109.6 108.5

84.9 110.5 107.3

45 90
110 110

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TABLE 4 MICE FOLLOWING ORAL ADMINI-

HYPOGLUCEMIC ACTIVITY IN ALLOXANIC STRATION OF PLANT EXTRACTS Extract (50 g/250 Hz0 Control group A. mexicana Hypoglucemic ml Initial glucemia 275.6 205.1 275.9 250.3 204.8 214.8 222.6 175.9 156.8 188.9 148.3 116.3 192.8 168.8 177.3 182.1 activity

(mg/lOO 0-Toluidine 215.2 90.0 45.1 38.6 36.3 36.5 131.2 102.5 134.2 152.6 22.8 32.5 60.1 92.3 150.6 175.1 145.6

ml blood,

mean values) Dextrostix 250 90 45 45 35 45 150 120 150 150 25 45 60 90 150 175 150

Nelson-Somogyi 274.8 89.5 44.3 31.5 36.1 36.2 132.6 101.4 133.1 151.9 21.7 32.9 61.2 91.4 150.9 175.9 144.9

C. macrostema C. biflora C. obtusifolia C. latiflora E. globulus E. polystachya L. mexicana P. edulis P. calyculatus S. arenarius T. stans T. diffusa V. mexicana V. officinalis V. procera
TABLE 5

HYPOGLUCEMIC ACTIVITY TONEAL ADMINISTRATION Extract (50 g/250 Hz0 Control group

IN ALLOXANIC MICE FOLLOWING OF PLANT EXTRACTS ml blood,

INTRAPERI-

ml

Hypoglucemic activity (mg/lOO 0-Toluidine Initial glucemia 198.6 202.3 90.0

mean values) Dextrostix 200 90

Nelson-Somogyi 201.3 91.2

A. mexicana C. macrostema C. biflora C. obtusifolia C. latiflora E. globulus E. polystachya L. mexicana P. edulis P. calyculatus S. arenarius T. stans T. diffusa V. mexicana V. officinalis V. procera

250.0 175.2 222.3 188.5

189.0

44.3 36.5 41.8 35.2

136.2

43.6 36.3 40.9 35.9

137.8 109.8 125.1

45 45 45 45
150 110 150

259.6
196.5

110.5
125.8

172.1
196.3 169.6

171.2 25.8
31.6

173.2 24.9
31.9

175 25
45

177.2 196.3 152.1 213.2

149.6

59.3 88.6 140.1 201.8

109.6

59.8 87.3 148.2 202.1 108.7

60 90 150 200
110

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of these plants are the subject of chemical-pharmacological studies aimed at identifying their active principle. These studies will be reported later. We hope that this study on Mexican herbal medicines will be useful in providing new medicines for the treatment of diabetes. References
Font-Quer (1980) In: S.A. Labor (Ed.), Plantas Medicinelea El Dioscbrides renovado, 6th edn., Barcelona, Espaiia, pp. 397, 758. Garcia, G.M. (1968) Manual de Botcinica Medicinal. E.G.M. Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico, pp. 11-31, 37,63, 83. Gbmez, P.A. (1966) Estudios Botbnicos en la regi6n de Misantla, Veracruz. IMRNRAC, Mexico, pp. 132. Nelson, N. (1944) A photometric adaptation of the Somogyi method for the determination of glucose. Journal of Biological Chemistry 153, 375-380. Reiche, C. (1977) Flora excursoria en eZ valle central de Mexico Textos politecnicos, 2nd edn., Mexico, pp. 71, 144, 158, 169, 202. Rodriguez, H., Perez, R.M., Murioz, H., Perez, C. and Miranda, R. (1975) Inducci6n de Diabetes en raton por medio de aloxana. Acta Midica XI (41), 33-36. Sanchez, S.O. (1980) In: Herrero (Ed.), La Flora del VaZZe de Mexico, 6th edn., Mexico, pp. 139, 317,384. Somogyi, M. (1952) Notes on sugar determination. Journal of Biological Chemistry 195, 19-23. Standley, P.C. (1946a) Flora of Guatemala, Vol. 24, Part IV, Chicago Natural History Museum, pp. 179. Standley, P.C. (1946b) Trees and Shrubs of MBxico, United States National Herbarium, pp. 216, 847,1366,1471. Standley, P.C. (1970) Flora of Guatemala, Vol. 24, Part IX, Field Museum of Natural History. pp. 343.