Antidiabetic Properties, Bioactive Constituents, and Other Therapeutic Effects of Scoparia dulcis.

Geethi Pamunuwa,D Nedra Karunaratne,Viduranga Y Waisundara

doi:10.1155/2016/8243215

Abstract

This review discusses the antidiabetic activities of Scoparia dulcis as well as its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in relation to the diabetes and its complications. Ethnomedical applications of the herb have been identified as treatment for jaundice, stomach problems, skin disease, fever, and kidney stones, reproductory issues, and piles. Evidence has been demonstrated through scientific studies as to the antidiabetic effects of crude extracts of S. dulcis as well as its bioactive constituents. The primary mechanisms of action of antidiabetic activity of the plant and its bioactive constituents are through α-glucosidase inhibition, curbing of PPAR-γ and increased secretion of insulin. Scoparic acid A, scoparic acid D, scutellarein, apigenin, luteolin, coixol, and glutinol are some of the compounds which have been identified as responsible for these mechanisms of action. S. dulcis has also been shown to exhibit analgesic, antimalarial, hepatoprotective, sedative, hypnotic, antiulcer, antisickling, and antimicrobial activities. Given this evidence, it may be concluded that S. dulcis could be promoted among the masses as an alternative and complementary therapy for diabetes, provided further scientific studies on the toxicological and pharmacological aspects are carried out through either in vivo or clinical means.

Highlights

A recent study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Lancet as part of the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) shows that the number of adults with diabetes has quadrupled worldwide in under four decades to 422 million, and the condition is fast becoming a major problem in poorer countries [1]
While the alarming nature of the disease is as such, the inefficacy and inadequacy of current antidiabetic treatments in mitigating the disease condition have been highlighted from studies such as the Linkoping Diabetes Complications Study [2], the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) Research Group [3,4,5], and the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) Group [6,7,8]
Additional biochemical avenues of exploration in this aspect would be to evaluate whether the extracts or bioactive compounds are capable of decreasing insulin resistance which is a typical characteristic of type 2 diabetes

Summary

Introduction

A recent study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Lancet as part of the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) shows that the number of adults with diabetes has quadrupled worldwide in under four decades to 422 million, and the condition is fast becoming a major problem in poorer countries [1]. This study used data from 4.4 million adults in different world regions to estimate age-adjusted diabetes prevalence for 200 countries. From the perspective of diabetes, the more important cause is that herbal medicines provide rational means for remedying the disease condition as well as many other ailments which are obstinate and incurable in more Western systems of medicine. Bringing effective herbal remedies into the limelight especially those which have proven antidiabetic effects through at least in vivo and in vitro studies is of importance given the disturbing incidence of the disease, the voids of effective therapeutic remedies, and the tendency towards searching and promoting complementary and alternative therapies to combat and contain the progression of the disease. It is hoped that S. dulcis could be promoted for downstream scientific investigations where the herb as well as its bioactive constituents would be taken up for further clinical evaluations and thereby discover the true potential as a remedy for combating a global pandemic as well as other noncommunicable disease conditions at large

Ethnomedicine

Antidiabetic Properties

Findings

Conclusions