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      The role of triterpenes in the management of diabetes mellitus and its complications

      review-article
      ,
      Phytochemistry Reviews
      Springer Netherlands
      Diabetes mellitus, Triterpenes, Natural products

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          Abstract

          Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease which is a serious global problem. In 2010 an estimated 285 million people had diabetes and within the next 20 years this value is expected to almost double. Many antidiabetic therapies focus on improving insulin sensitivity, increasing insulin production, and/or decreasing the level of blood glucose. Although a number of synthetic medicines are available, drugs of natural origin have aroused great interest. Triterpenes seem to demonstrate adequate properties. Many experiments have shown that these compounds have several antidiabetic mechanisms. They can inhibit enzymes involved in glucose metabolism, prevent the development of insulin resistance and normalize plasma glucose and insulin levels. These natural compounds, in contrast to synthetic drugs, apart from producing a hypoglycemic effect have also been found to manifest hypolipidemic and anti-obesity activity. Triterpenes are also promising agents in the prevention of diabetic complications. They have strong antioxidant activity and inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end products, implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, embryopathy, neuropathy or impaired wound healing. Until now very few clinical studies have been concerned with the application of triterpenes in treating diabetes. However, due to their great therapeutic potential, these compounds deserve special attention.

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          A review on the role of antioxidants in the management of diabetes and its complications.

          Diabetes is a prevalent systemic disease affecting a significant proportion of the population worldwide. The effects of diabetes are devastating and well documented. There is increasing evidence that in certain pathologic states, especially chronic diseases, the increased production and/or ineffective scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may play a critical role. High reactivity of ROS determines chemical changes in virtually all cellular components, leading to lipid peroxidation. Production of ROS and disturbed capacity of antioxidant defense in diabetic subjects have been reported. It has been suggested that enhanced production of free radicals and oxidative stress is central event to the development of diabetic complications. This suggestion has been supported by demonstration of increased levels of indicators of oxidative stress in diabetic individuals suffering from complications. Therefore, it seems reasonable that antioxidants can play an important role in the improvement of diabetes. There are many reports on effects of antioxidants in the management of diabetes. In this paper, after complete bibliography and criticizing all relevant articles, the relationships between diabetes and oxidative stress and use of antioxidants in the management of diabetes and its complications have been well reviewed. This review well indicates that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. Use of antioxidants reduces oxidative stress and alleviates diabetic complications.
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            Pentacyclic Triterpene Distribution in Various Plants – Rich Sources for a New Group of Multi-Potent Plant Extracts

            Pentacyclic triterpenes are secondary plant metabolites widespread in fruit peel, leaves and stem bark. In particular the lupane-, oleanane-, and ursane triterpenes display various pharmacological effects while being devoid of prominent toxicity. Therefore, these triterpenes are promising leading compounds for the development of new multi-targeting bioactive agents. Screening of 39 plant materials identified triterpene rich (> 0.1% dry matter) plant parts. Plant materials with high triterpene concentrations were then used to obtain dry extracts by accelerated solvent extraction resulting in a triterpene content of 50 ‑ 90%. Depending on the plant material, betulin (birch bark), betulinic acid (plane bark), oleanolic acid (olive leaves, olive pomace, mistletoe sprouts, clove flowers), ursolic acid (apple pomace) or an equal mixture of the three triterpene acids (rosemary leaves) are the main components of these dry extracts. They are quantitatively characterised plant extracts supplying a high concentration of actives and therefore can be used for development of phytopharmaceutical formulations.
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              alpha-Amylase inhibitory activity of some Malaysian plants used to treat diabetes; with particular reference to Phyllanthus amarus.

              Extracts of six selected Malaysian plants with a reputation of usefulness in treating diabetes were examined for alpha-amylase inhibition using an in vitro model. Inhibitory activity studied by two different protocols (with and without pre-incubation) showed that Phyllanthus amarus hexane extract had alpha-amylase inhibitory properties. Hexane and dichloromethane extracts of Anacardium occidentale, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Averrhoa bilimbiPithecellobium jiringa and Parkia speciosa were not active when tested without pre-incubation. Extraction and fractionation of Phyllanthus amarus hexane extract led to the isolation of dotriacontanyl docosanoate, triacontanol and a mixture of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. Dotriacontanyl docosanoate and the mixture of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid are reported from this plant species for the first time. All compounds were tested in the alpha-amylase inhibition assay and the results revealed that the oleanolic acid and ursolic acid (2:1) mixture was a potent alpha-amylase inhibitor with IC(50)=2.01 microg/ml (4.41 microM) and that it contributes significantly to the alpha-amylase inhibition activity of the extract. Three pure pentacyclic triterpenoids, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and lupeol were shown to inhibit alpha-amylase.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                jolanta.nazaruk@umb.edu.pl
                Journal
                Phytochem Rev
                Phytochem Rev
                Phytochemistry Reviews
                Springer Netherlands (Dordrecht )
                1568-7767
                1572-980X
                24 June 2014
                24 June 2014
                2015
                : 14
                : 4
                : 675-690
                Affiliations
                [ ]Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2a Str., 15-089 Białystok, Poland
                [ ]Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2a Str., 15-089 Białystok, Poland
                Article
                9369
                10.1007/s11101-014-9369-x
                4513225
                26213526
                968d01fe-4b33-4872-8959-642faf2889c8
                © The Author(s) 2014

                Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.

                History
                : 30 October 2013
                : 13 June 2014
                Categories
                Article
                Custom metadata
                © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

                Biochemistry
                diabetes mellitus,triterpenes,natural products
                Biochemistry
                diabetes mellitus, triterpenes, natural products

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