Studies on Balanites aegyptiaca fruits, an antidiabetic Egyptian folk medicine.
An aqueous extract of mesocarps of the fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca exhibited a prominent antidiabetic activity by oral administration in streptozotocin induced diabetic mice. From one of the active fractions of this extract, two new steroidal saponins were isolated, and their structures were determined as 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-furost-5-ene-3 beta,22,26-triol 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)]-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1---- 3)]-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----4)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside and its 22-methyl ether. In addition, two known saponins, 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-furost-5-ene-3 beta,22,26-triol 3-O-(2,4-di-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and its methyl ether were isolated and identified. It was revealed that the individual saponins did not show antidiabetic activity, while the recombination of these saponins resulted in significant activity. From an ethanolic extract of the epicarps, two known flavonol glycosides, isorhamnetin-3-O-robinobioside and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside were isolated and identified.
Pharmacognosy Department, Assiut University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egypt.
M S
MS
Kamel
K
K
Ohtani
T
T
Kurokawa
M H
MH
Assaf
M A
MA
el-Shanawany
A A
AA
Ali
R
R
Kasai
S
S
Ishibashi
O
O
Tanaka
D000818:Animals; D004534:Egypt; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents