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Triterpenes from Agarista Mexicana as potential antidiabetic agents
Author(s) -
Perez G. R. M.,
Vargas S. R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.966
Subject(s) - tolbutamide , triterpene , terpene , chemistry , biological activity , fractionation , pharmacology , pharmacognosy , chloroform , traditional medicine , medicine , diabetes mellitus , chromatography , biochemistry , endocrinology , in vitro , alternative medicine , pathology
Hypoglycaemic activity‐guided fractionation together with chemical analysis led to the isolation of 12‐ursene and a novel triterpene 23,24 dimethyl‐24‐ethyl‐stigmast‐25‐ene from the chloroform extract of the dried stem of A. mexicana . Identification was based on spectroscopic methods. The isolated triterpenes were tested for hypoglycaemic activity in normal and alloxman‐diabetic CD1 mice 25–30 g at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. The blood glucose levels were determined before and 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 24 h after intraperitoneal drug administration. The results showed that the triterpenes produced a significant hypoglycaemic effect in normal as well as in diabetic mice. Comparison was made between the action of the triterpenes and a known hypoglycaemic drug, tolbutamide (50 mg/kg). The 12‐ursene was found to be slow and less effective than tolbutamide, and the 23,24 dimethyl‐24‐ethyl‐stigmast‐25‐ene was shown to be more effective than tolbutamide. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.