Anti-Diabetic Effect of Bryophyllum pinnatum Leaves

Authors: E. F. Aransiola, M.O. Daramola, E. O. Iwalewa, A. M. Seluwa, O. O. Olufowobi

Abstract:

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that affects the quality of life in terms of physical health, social and psychological well-being. In spite of the enormous progress in the treatment of diabetes using existing commercial drugs, such as, insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents, the quest and search for new drugs is imperative due to several limitations of the commercial drugs. In addition, the existing diabetic drugs are expensive and unaffordable by the rural populace in the developing countries. The present study demonstrates the anti-diabetic property of aqueous extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum (BP) leaves using diabetic rats (albino rats) as models. At the same time, the anti-diabetic effect of the aqueous extract was compared to that of a sample containing a mixture of the extract and a commercial diabetic medicine, glibenclamide. A specified dosage of aqueous extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum (BP) leaves was administered on the experimental diabetic rats, and their BGL was measured and recorded. The results showed a significant drop in the BGL of the diabetic rats to a value close to normal blood glucose level within 120 minutes when only aqueous extract from BP leaves was used. When a sample containing a mixture of the aqueous extract and glibenclamide was administered, a further drop in BGL was observed. Therefore, the results reveal that aqueous extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum leaves have significant anti-diabetic properties, and that the performance of the existing drugs (glibenclamide) could be enhanced with the use of the aqueous extract.

Keywords: Anti-diabetics, Bryophyllum pinnatum, Blood glucose level, albino rats.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1091362

References:

[1] American Diabetic Association (ADA). Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care. (2004) 27 Suppl 1: S5-10
[2] American Diabetic Association (ADA). Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care. (2009) 32 Suppl 1: S62-7
[3] Kommoju UJ and Reddy BM. Genetic Etiology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Review. Int. J Diabetes Dev. Ctries. (2011) 31(2):51-64
[4] S. Wild, G. Roglic, A. Green, R. Sicree and H. King. "Global Prevalence of Diabetes: Estimates for the Year 2000 and Projections for 2030” Diabetes Care vol. 27, pp. 1047-53, 2004.
[5] W.C. Knowler, B.E. Conner, S.E. Fowler, R.F. Hamman, J.M. Lachin, E.A. Walker and D.M. Nathan. "Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Life Style Intervention or Metformin” N. Eng. J. Med. , Vol. 19 pp. 920-8, 2002
[6] S. Bhattacharya and B. Chirangeebee "Dose-Dependent Effects of Fenu-Greek Composite in Diabetes with Dyslipidaemia” Internet J Food Saf., vol. 8, pp. 49-55, 2006.
[7] R.J. Marles and N.R. Farnsworth "Anti-Diabetic Plants and Their Active Constituents” Phytomedicine. Vol. 2, pp.137-89, 1995.
[8] A. Kamboj, A.K. Saluja. "Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile: A Review”. Pharmacognosy Review, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 364-374, 2009.
[9] G. Balzer "Bryophyllum. Ein Beitrag zu seina Pflanzen-morphologie. Berlin-Kleinmachnow” Gartenverlag. GmbH. 1949
[10] P.B. Marriage and D.G. Wilson "Analysis of the Organic Acids of Bryophyllum calycinum” Can J Biochem. Vol. 49, pp. 82-95, 1971.
[11] K.N. Gaind and R.L. Gupta "Alkanes, Alkanols, Triterpens and Sterols of Kalanchoe pinnata” Phytochemistry. pp. 11, 1972.
[12] K.N. Gaind and R.L. Gupta "Identification of Waxes from the Leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata” Planta Med. , vol. 23, pp. 193-197, 1974.
[13] O.O. Amusan, F.N. Bhembe, F.T. Mkhatshwa and E.Z. Thwala. "Antibacterial Activity of Annona senegalensis, Andrachne ovalis and Spathodea campanulata against Seudomonas solanecearum” UNISWA. J. Agric. pp. 62-66, 1994.
[14] D.A. Akinpelu "Antimicrobial Activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum Leaves”, Fitoterapia. Vol. 71, no. 2, pp. 193-194, 2000.
[15] B. Oliver-Bever "Medicinal Plants in Tropical West Africa. III. Anti-Infection Therapy with Higher Plants” J. Ethnopharmacol vol. 9, pp.83, 1983.
[16] M. Afzal, I. Kazmi and F. Anwar "Antineoplastic Potential of Bryophyllum pinnatum I am. On Chemically Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis in Rat”’. Pharmacognosy Research, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 247-253, 2013.
[17] M. Afzal, G. Gupta and I. Kazmi "Anti-Inflamatory and Analgestic Potential of a Novel Steroidal Derivative from Bryophyllum pinnatum” Fitoterapia., vol. 83, no. 5, pp. 853-858, 2012.
[18] J.A.O. Ojewole "Antihypertensive Properties of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Clam) Oken Leaf Extracts” Am J. Hypert.., vol. 15, no. 4, pp. A34-A39, 2002.
[19] Public Health Service Policy on Human Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Washington DC: US Department of Health and Human Devices; 1986, p. 20892 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm)
[20] B. Benyamin, R.P. Middelberg, P.A. Lind et al. "GWAS of butyryl-Cholinesterase Activity Identifies four Novel Loci, Independent Effects within BCHE and Secondary Associations with Metabolic Risk Factors” Hum Mol Genet., vol. 20 no.22,pp. 4504-4514, 2011.