title: Triterpenes from Agarista mexicana as potential antidiabetic agents.
abstract: Hypoglycaemic activity-guided fractionation together with chemical analysis led to the isolation of 12-ursene and a novel triterpene 23,24 dimethyl-24-ethyl-stigmast-25-ene from the chloroform extract of the dried stem of A. mexicana. Identification was based on spectroscopic methods. The isolated triterpenes were tested for hypoglycaemic activity in normal and alloxman-diabetic CD1 mice 25-30 g at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. The blood glucose levels were determined before and 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 24 h after intraperitoneal drug administration. The results showed that the triterpenes produced a significant hypoglycaemic effect in normal as well as in diabetic mice. Comparison was made between the action of the triterpenes and a known hypoglycaemic drug, tolbutamide (50 mg/kg). The 12-ursene was found to be slow and less effective than tolbutamide, and the 23,24 dimethyl-24-ethyl-stigmast-25-ene was shown to be more effective than tolbutamide.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigacion de Productos Naturales, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Química e Industrias Extractivas IPN, Punto Fijo 16, Col. Torres Lindavista C.P. 07708, México D.F. México. dmex@df1.telmex.net.mx
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perez G
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vargas S
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D029791:Ericaceae; D005260:Female; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008800:Mexico; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014044:Tolbutamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C453364:12-ursene; C453363:23,24 dimethyl-24-ethyl-stigmast-25-ene; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes; D014315:Triterpenes; D014044:Tolbutamide