A study of the hypoglycemic effect of some Mexican plants

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 CD1 strain mice with alloxan-induced diabetes. Hypoglycemic activity was determined by the O-toluidine and the Dextrostix tape methods. Several of the plants showed a marked hypoglycemic effect.