Diabetes is a complex metabolic disorder resulting from either insulin insufficiency or insulin dysfunction. Diabetes mellitus affects most of the people in both developed and developing countries. The treatment of diabetes with synthetic drugs is costly and chances of side effects are high. Phytomedicine has been used since ancient times in various parts of the world where access to modern medicine is limited. Medicinal plants and phytoconstituents play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus especially in developing countries where resources are meagre.
Phytochemicals identified from medicinal plants present an exciting opportunity for the development of new types of therapeutics for diabetes mellitus. Most prevalent among phytochemical groups are the alkaloids, glycosides, polysaccharides, and phenolics such as flavonoids, terpenoids and steroids.
This study aims to provide a comparative information about various plants used for antidiabetes treatment in a trial community (Mannans) and their constituents, which have been shown to display potent hypoglycemic activity. The current study was focused on four plants named Tinospora cordifolia, Ensete superbum, Coccinia grandis wild and Apama siliquosa Lam. which is locally known as Amruthu, Kalluvazha, Kattukoval, and Alpam respectively.
The plant parts such as seed, leaves, stem and bark were used by the local people. The plant materials prepared as decoction, infusion, aqueous extracts in milk or honey were used for the treatment of diabetes. The plants that are being used by the local people of the study area have been isolated from plants for the treatment of diabetes. The efficacy of these ethnomedicinal plants needs to be subjected to pharmacological validation. it was found that Coccinia grandis was more efficient than the other plants. Some antidiabetic plants may exert their action by stimulating the function or number of beta-cells and thus increasing insulin release. The study highlighted the central role of traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes in tribal community. Ethnobotanical survey is most useful for scientists, research scholars and scientific companies for further studies on isolation and identification of active compounds that can be formulated into antidiabetic drugs.
Table of Contents
A comparative study on traditional herbal medicines of Mannans (tribal group in Idukki, Kerala) for the treatment of diabetes
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1Taxonomical classification Tinospora cordifolia (plant 1)
1.2Taxonomical classification Ensete superbum (plant 2)
1.3 Taxonomical classification- Coccinia grandis (plant 3)
1.4 Taxonomical classification- Apama siliquosa Lam. (plant 4)
2. Review of literature
3. Materials and methods
3.1 Plant materials
3.2 Sample collection
3.3 Preparation of extracts
3.4 Phytochemical screening
3.5 Determination of changes in the glucose level by Anthrone method
3.6 Determination of changes in the glucose level by Benedict test
3.7 Statistical analysis
4. Results and discussion
5. Conclusions
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This study investigates the fundamental scientific basis for using specific traditional medicinal plants by the Mannan tribal community in Idukki, Kerala, for the treatment of diabetes, focusing on the identification and quantification of phytochemical constituents and determining the efficacy of these plants in glucose reduction.
- Documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge regarding anti-diabetic plants.
- Phytochemical screening and analysis of plant extracts (Tinospora cordifolia, Ensete superbum, Coccinia grandis, Apama siliquosa Lam.).
- Comparative pharmacological validation of anti-diabetic potential.
- Determination of glucose level changes using Anthrone and Benedict testing methods.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Materials and methods
The present study included plant species which were Tinospora cordifolia, Ensete superbum, Coccinia grandis wild and Apama siliquosa Lam.
An Ethanobotanical survey was conducted among the tribal peoples (community of Mannankudy) of Kumily Panchayath, Peermade taluk, Idukki district of Kerala state through a personal interview to investigate the medicinal plants used in the treatment of Diabetes. Then plant materials were collected locally and identified taxonomically and stored. These plants parts were used for the purpose of their phytochemical analysis and tests for checking the glucose level. Fresh and tender leaves of selected plants were used for phytochemical analysis.
The plant parts were taken and air dried for few days under shade. The plant parts then crushed into powder and stored in polythene bags for use. The extract of each sample was prepared by soxhlet extraction method using ethanol as solvent. The extract was kept in bottle without allowing the passage of sunlight and the extract was filtered and diluted with water before use.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Provides an overview of diabetes as a global health threat and discusses the increasing reliance on medicinal plants as traditional, cost-effective therapeutic alternatives to synthetic drugs.
2. Review of literature: Analyzes the current pharmacological landscape of diabetes treatment and summarizes scientific research on various medicinal plants and their bioactive phytochemical constituents.
3. Materials and methods: Details the ethnobotanical survey conducted among the Mannan tribe and describes the scientific procedures used for plant identification, extraction, and phytochemical screening.
4. Results and discussion: Presents the findings of the phytochemical screening and laboratory tests, highlighting the superior anti-diabetic efficacy of Coccinia grandis compared to the other studied species.
5. Conclusions: Summarizes the study's findings, affirming the role of traditional herbal medicines in tribal communities and suggesting the need for further pharmacological validation and drug formulation.
Keywords
Coccinia grandis, ethnobotanical, diabetes, Tribal medicines, Tinospora cordifolia, Ensete superbum, Apama siliquosa Lam., phytochemicals, hypoglycemic, herbal therapy, Idukki, Kerala, medicinal plants, pharmacological validation, insulin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on investigating and validating the traditional herbal medicines used by the Mannan tribal group in Idukki, Kerala, for treating diabetes.
Which plants were specifically analyzed in this study?
The study analyzed four plants: Tinospora cordifolia, Ensete superbum, Coccinia grandis, and Apama siliquosa Lam.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The main objective is to establish the scientific basis for the use of these tribal medicinal plants by identifying their phytochemical constituents and measuring their effectiveness in reducing glucose levels.
Which scientific methods were employed to test the plant extracts?
The researchers used phytochemical screening tests, the Anthrone method for sugar estimation, and the Benedict test to evaluate anti-diabetic properties.
What is the main finding regarding the effectiveness of the selected plants?
The results showed that Coccinia grandis was the most effective plant among those tested for potential anti-diabetic activity.
How is the study structured?
The study includes an introduction to the disease and traditional medicine, a literature review, a detailed materials and methods section, the presentation and discussion of results, and final conclusions.
Why are synthetic antidiabetic drugs considered problematic by the authors?
The authors note that synthetic agents are often expensive and associated with significant side effects, leading to a higher interest in alternative herbal therapies.
What is the role of phytochemicals in these medicinal plants?
Phytochemicals like flavonoids, alkaloids, and glycosides are identified as the active compounds responsible for the observed hypoglycemic effects.
- Quote paper
- Prem Jose Vazhacharickal (Author), Jiby John Mathew (Author), Sajeshkumar N.K (Author), Nijamol Varghese (Author), 2016, A comparative study on traditional herbal medicines of Mannans (tribal group in Idukki, Kerala) for the treatment of diabetes, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/351314
