Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2025
06:09
An In Ovo Model for Testing Insulin-mimetic Compounds
Published on: April 23, 2018
10.6K
Exploring Folklore Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants and Their Bioactive Components Focusing on Antidiabetic Potential: An
Soham Bhattacharya1, Neha Gupta2, Adéla Flekalová2
1Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, 16500 Suchdol, Czech Republic.
Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 19, 2024
Summary
Ecuadorian medicinal plants offer natural alternatives for diabetes treatment. Research identifies 27 plants, with 22 showing hypoglycemic properties, highlighting the potential of ethnobotany in developing new antidiabetic therapies.
Area of Science:
- Ethnobotany
- Pharmacology
- Phytochemistry
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health issue with limited efficacy and systemic toxicity from current treatments.
- Natural, plant-based alternatives are increasingly sought for diabetes management due to minimal side effects.
- Ecuador possesses a rich ethnobotanical history with traditional use of medicinal plants for various ailments, including diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and explore traditional medicinal plants used in Ecuador for treating diabetes mellitus.
- To review the bioactive phytochemicals responsible for the antidiabetic properties of these plants.
- To highlight the need for integrated approaches between ethnomedicinal practices and pharmacological research.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of ethnobotanical data and scientific studies on Ecuadorian medicinal plants.
- Identification of plants traditionally used for diabetes treatment in Ecuador.
- Analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating hypoglycemic or anti-hyperglycemic effects.
Main Results:
- 27 Ecuadorian medicinal plants traditionally used for diabetes treatment were identified.
- 22 of these plants demonstrated significant hypoglycemic or anti-hyperglycemic properties.
- Bioactive compounds like flavonoids, phenolics, and terpenoids were identified as key contributors to antidiabetic effects.
Conclusions:
- Ecuadorian medicinal plants possess significant potential as natural antidiabetic agents.
- Further pharmacological elucidation is needed for certain traditional remedies like Bryophyllum gastonis-bonnieri.
- Integrating ethnomedicinal knowledge with scientific research can drive innovation in natural product development for diabetes.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:19Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
170
α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are...
Acarbose and miglitol are...
170
01:06Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides
152
Repaglinide (Prandin) and Nateglinide (Starlix), known as glinides, are oral insulin secretagogues that stimulate insulin release from pancreatic β cells by closing the ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP channel). Repaglinide controls insulin release from pancreatic β cells by managing potassium efflux. It shares two binding sites with sulfonylureas and also has a unique site, indicating overlapping mechanisms of action. With a rapid onset and a 4-7 hour duration, it effectively...
152
01:23Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
181
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) is a serine protease widely distributed in the body. It's involved in the inactivation of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, which are crucial for insulin regulation. DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta), alogliptin (Nesina), and vildagliptin (Galvus), help increase the proportion of active GLP-1, enhancing insulin secretion. These inhibitors work by competitively binding to DPP-4. This binding causes a...
181
01:22Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy
4.3K
The potency of a drug is the measure of its ability to produce a biological response and can be compared by looking at the half-maximum effective concentration or EC50 values of different drugs. A lower EC50 value indicates higher potency of the drug. In the dose–response curve of two antihypertensive drugs, candesartan and irbesartan, a significant difference is observed in their EC50 values. A lower EC50 value for candesartan indicates that it is more potent than irbesartan, as it...
4.3K
01:24Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
316
Incretins include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate insulin secretion post-meals. In type 2 diabetes, GIP's efficacy is reduced, making GLP-1 a viable drug target. GIP originates from preproGIP.
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by...
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by...
316
01:26Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
188
Biguanides, particularly metformin (Glucophage), are insulin sensitizers that enhance glucose uptake, thereby reducing insulin resistance. Unlike sulfonylureas, metformin doesn't prompt insulin secretion, which helps to curb hypoglycemia risk. Metformin is beneficial in treating conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome due to its insulin-resistance reduction capability. The drug's primary action involves curtailing hepatic gluconeogenesis, a significant contributor to high blood...
188