title: Hypoglycaemic effect of stigmast-4-en-3-one and its corresponding alcohol from the bark of Anacardium occidentale (cashew).
abstract: Intravenous administration of the hexane extract of the bark of Anacardium occidentale (cashew) in normal, healthy dogs produced a significant lowering of the blood glucose levels. Pursuit of the hypoglycaemic principle(s) in the hexane extract resulted in the isolation and characterization of two compounds, stigmast-4-en-3-ol (1) and stigmast-4-en-3-one (2). These compounds were purified by chromatographic methods and the structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods. Both compounds produced significant hypoglycaemic activity after intravenous administration at a dose of 1.3 mg/kg body weight. The bark of the cashew plant, A. occidentale, exhibited a hypoglycaemic effect probably due to the presence of these compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences (Biochemistry), University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: Ruby Lisa
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Alexander-Lindo
authors.forename: E Y St A
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Muraleedharan G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D031021:Anacardium; D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013265:Stigmasterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C488470:stigmast-4-en-3-one; D013265:Stigmasterol