title: Chemical profile and in vivo hypoglycemic effects of Syzygium jambos, Costus speciosus and Tapeinochilos ananassae plant extracts used as diabetes adjuvants in Puerto Rico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The increasing numbers of people who use plant-based remedies as alternative or complementary medicine call for the validation of less known herbal formulations used to treat their ailments. Since Puerto Rico has the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes within all the states and territories of the United States, and Puerto Ricans commonly use plants as diabetes adjuvants, it is important to study the plants' physiological effects, and identify their bioactive compounds to understand their role in modulation of blood glucose levels. We present the phytochemical profiles and hypoglycemic effects of Tapeinochilus ananassae, Costus speciosus and Syzygium jambos.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phytochemicals in methanolic and aqueous extracts were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Alkaloids (Bromocresol green, λ=470 nm), flavonoids (AlCl3, λ=415 nm), saponins (DNS, λ=760 nm), tannins (FeCl3/K4Fe(CN)6, λ=395 nm) and phenolics (Folin-Ciocalteau, λ=765 nm) were quantified. Male C57BLKS/J (db/db) and C57BL/J (ob/ob) genetically obese mice were orally gavaged with aqueous extracts of lyophilized plant decoctions for 10 wks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show that T. ananassae had significantly greater amounts of flavonoids and tannins, while S. jambos showed the greatest concentration of phenolics and C. speciosus exhibited higher amounts of alkaloids. C57BLKS/J db/db treated with plant extracts show better glucose modulation when the extracts are administered in complement with an insulin injection. Finally, C57BL/J ob/ob mice on T. ananassae and S. jambos treatments show better blood glucose modulation over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results document for the first time the chemical profile of T. ananassae and provide evidence for a potential anti-diabetic efficacy of T. ananassae and S. jambos.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, PO Box 372230, Cayey, 00737-2230, Puerto Rico. jannette.gavillan@upr.edu.|Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, PO Box 372230, Cayey, 00737-2230, Puerto Rico. jannette.gavillan@upr.edu.
authors.forename: Jannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gavillán-Suárez
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Central del Caribe-School of Medicine, P.O. Box 60327, Bayamón, 00960-6032, Puerto Rico. aapoadrgs@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, PO Box 372230, Cayey, 00737-2230, Puerto Rico. natalie_rivera_ortiz@baxter.com.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rivera-Ortiz
authors.affiliation: Present address: University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, 00936-5067, Puerto Rico. karla.rodriguez5@upr.edu.
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Tirado
authors.affiliation: Present address: University of Missouri-Columbia, Division of Biological Sciences, 110 Tucker Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211-7400, USA. wmffn8@mail.missouri.edu.
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Figueroa-Cuilan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, PO Box 372230, Cayey, 00737-2230, Puerto Rico. lorelein.morales@upr.edu.
authors.forename: Lorelein
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morales-Santiago
authors.affiliation: Data Management & Statistical Research Support Unit, Universidad Central del Caribe-School of Medicine, P.O. Box 60327, Bayamón, 00960-6032, Puerto Rico. geronimo.maldonado@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gerónimo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maldonado-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Central del Caribe-School of Medicine, P.O. Box 60327, Bayamón, 00960-6032, Puerto Rico. lacoadrgs@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cubano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Central del Caribe-School of Medicine, P.O. Box 60327, Bayamón, 00960-6032, Puerto Rico. michelle.martinez@uccaribe.edu.
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Martínez-Montemayor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011647:Puerto Rico; D027842:Syzygium / Q000737:chemistry*; D019862:Zingiberales / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts