An overview on antidiabetic medicinal plants having insulin mimetic property

Diabetes mellitus is one of the common metabolic disorders acquiring around 2.8% of the world''s population and is anticipated to cross 5.4% by the year 2025. Since long back herbal medicines have been the highly esteemed source of medicine therefore, they have become a growing part of modern, high-tech medicine. In view of the above aspects the present review provides profiles of plants (65 species) with hypoglycaemic properties, available through literature source from various database with proper categorization according to the parts used, mode of reduction in blood glucose (insulinomimetic or insulin secretagogues activity) and active phytoconstituents having insulin mimetics activity. From the review it was suggested that, plant showing hypoglycemic potential mainly belongs to the family Leguminoseae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asteraceae, Moraceae, Rosaceae and Araliaceae. The most active plants are Allium sativum, Gymnema sylvestre, Citrullus colocynthis, Trigonella foenum greacum, Momordica charantia and Ficus bengalensis. The review describes some new bioactive drugs and isolated compounds from plants such as roseoside, epigallocatechin gallate, beta-pyrazol-1-ylalanine, cinchonain Ib, leucocyandin 3-O-beta-d-galactosyl cellobioside, leucopelargonidin-3- O-alpha-L rhamnoside, glycyrrhetinic acid, dehydrotrametenolic acid, strictinin, isostrictinin, pedunculagin, epicatechin and christinin-A showing significant insulinomimetic and antidiabetic activity with more efficacy than conventional hypoglycaemic agents. Thus, from the review majorly, the antidiabetic activity of medicinal plants is attributed to the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins and other constituents which show reduction in blood glucose levels. The review also discusses the management aspect of diabetes mellitus using these plants and their active principles.     

A study on BMI among the Bhotia of Uttaranchal,India

ObjectiveTo investigate the nutritional status of the males and females in two subgroups of the Bhotia tribe (Marcha and Tolcha) inhabiting in three different altitudes in Uttaranchal, India.MethodsData were collected from the Tolcha and Marcha, two sub-groups of the Bhotia, inhabiting in Chamoli district of Uttaranchal. Bhotia adults of both sexes were considered. Field investigation was conducted in three ecological zones (high, middle and low altitude) of the district during April-August, in the years 2002-2004. Anthropometric measurements were obtained in accordance with the techniques recommended by Weiner and Lourie (1981). The variables like height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio and blood pressure were studied in relation to BMI.ResultsRelatively higher value of mean BMI is recorded among the females than that of the males, which is true for different altitudes, in both subgroups. The BMI also indicates an inverse relationship with altitude, except for the Tolcha males in high altitude. Lowest mean BMI is recorded in middle altitude among the Tolcha subgroup. Chronic energy deficient (CED) individuals are much more than twice the number among the males of both the subgroups inhabiting in different altitudes. Interestingly, the percentage of CED individuals increases with the altitude.ConclusionsRegression analysis indicates that height, weight, hip circumference and waist circumference are dependent on body mass index in the studied populations. Probable reason for poor nutrition status among the Tolcha and Marcha of high altitude might be due to the fact that the Tolcha and Marcha of high altitude consume lesser amount of proteins, fat, milk and milk products in general than their counterpart inhabit in lower and middle altitude.