title: Hypoglycemic and anti-lipemic effects of the aqueous extract from Cissus sicyoides.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cissus sicyoides (Vitaceae) is a medicinal plant popularly known in Brazil as "cipó-pucá, anil-trepador, cortina, and insulina". The plant is used in several diseases, including rheumatism, epilepsy, stroke and also in the treatment of diabetes. In the present work, we studied the hypoglycemic and anti-lipemic effects of the aqueous extract prepared from fresh leaves of the plant (AECS), in the model of alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. In addition, hepatic enzyme levels were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that the daily treatment of diabetic rats with AECS for 7 days (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly decreased blood glucose levels in 25 and 22% respectively, as compared to the same groups before AECS treatment. No significant changes were seen in control diabetic rats before (48 h after alloxan administration) and after distilled water treatment. While no changes were seen in total cholesterol levels, a significant decrease was observed in plasma triglyceride levels, in the alloxan-induced diabetic rats after AECS treatment with both doses, as compared to the same groups before treatment. Significant decreases in blood glucose (25%) and triglyceride levels (48%) were also observed in the alloxan-induced diabetic rats after 4 days treatment with AECS (200 mg/kg, p.o.). Aspartate (AST) and alanine (ALT) aminotransferases levels, in diabetic controls and AECS-treated rats, were in the range of reference values presented by normal rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results justify the popular use of C. sicyoides, pointing out to the potential benefit of the plant aqueous extract (AECS) in alternative medicine, in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysiology, Faculty of Medicine of Juazeiro do Norte - FMJ, Av, Leão Sampaio s/n, Juazeiro do Norte 63,040, Ceará, Brazil. osorio@roadnet.com.br
authors.forename: Glauce S B
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Ana Carolina C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Ana Michelle R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lacerda
authors.forename: L Kalyne A M
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Tiago G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: F José De Abreu
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Matos
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D032422:Cissus / Q000737:chemistry*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000496:Alloxan