Abstract
The onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a consequence of the progressive loss of adequate β-cell insulin secretion, which frequently occurs under a background of insulin resistance. Currently, nearly 13 million Mexicans are living with diabetes. Moreover, due to poor socioeconomic conditions and the cultural idiosyncrasies of the Mexican population, the use of medicinal plants to treat T2D is a common practice in Mexico. In the Mexican state of Hidalgo, we found the traditional use of Calea urticifolia (CU) to treat this disease. To treat T2D, people drink an infusion made from the aerial part of the plant throughout the day. With the aim of investigating whether the infusion at a traditional dose produces a hypoglycemic effect in either the fasting or postprandial state, we measured the effect of the infusion in a hyperglycemic animal model (rats administered streptozotocin (STZ) and nicotinamide (NZ)) by conducting a glucose tolerance test and constructing a blood-glucose curve. We then analyzed whether the observed effect was related to the inhibition of glucose absorption in the gut or the inhibition of hepatic glucose output (HGO) in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, we confirmed our findings by identifying the potential targets of the infusion via a network pharmacology analysis. Through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC), we detected a number of compounds in the extract and identified two of them. The plant extract produced a highly significant hypoglycemic effect under fasting conditions and a weak hypoglycemic effect following glucose or sucrose challenge. Although the plant extract blocked only 20% of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme activity in vitro, in the pyruvate tolerance test (which measures the liberation of hepatic glucose), it significantly reduced glucose levels. Furthermore, in vitro, the extract diminished the activity of the glucose-6-phosphatase complex by 90%. In addition, by conducting TLC, we detected the presence of chlorogenic acid and rutin, which have been reported to block HGO. The results presented here provide evidence of the hypoglycemic effect of the traditionally used C. urticifolia extract and demonstrate that this effect is associated with both a reduction in glucose synthesis via gluconeogenesis due to the phytochemical composition of the extract and a slight blockage of glucose absorption in the gut.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus is a long-term condition that occurs when there are increased levels of glucose in the blood because the body either cannot produce any or enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.e onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is due to a progressive loss of adequate β-cell insulin secretion, frequently under a background of insulin resistance [1]. e International Diabetes Federation (IDF) defines T2D as a condition in which hyperglycemia arises as a result of the inability of the body’s cells to fully respond to insulin
By consulting T2D patients and healers in the town of Tamala in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, we found the use of Calea urticifolia (CU) for the treatment of T2D
As a result of the in-person interviews with the specialists, we determined that the vernacular name of the plant is “Amargoso.” Since the plant has a bitter taste, people believe that if it is consumed as a drink, the bitter flavor counteracts the sweetness of their blood
Summary
Diabetes mellitus is a long-term condition that occurs when there are increased levels of glucose in the blood because the body either cannot produce any or enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.e onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is due to a progressive loss of adequate β-cell insulin secretion, frequently under a background of insulin resistance [1]. e International Diabetes Federation (IDF) defines T2D as a condition in which hyperglycemia arises as a result of the inability of the body’s cells to fully respond to insulin (insulin resistance). Diabetes mellitus is a long-term condition that occurs when there are increased levels of glucose in the blood because the body either cannot produce any or enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. E International Diabetes Federation (IDF) defines T2D as a condition in which hyperglycemia arises as a result of the inability of the body’s cells to fully respond to insulin (insulin resistance). In the period of insulin resistance, this hormone is ineffective, which induces an increase in insulin production. E IDF reported in 2019 that there was an estimated 463.0 million people living with diabetes worldwide. T2D can be controlled but not cured. To achieve control from a medical perspective, oral hypoglycemic drugs are used; due to the idiosyncrasies of the Mexican
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