Anti-hyperglycemic effect of Psacalium peltatum.

The purpose of this research was to study the anti-hyperglycemic effect of Psacalium peltatum, a folk medicinal plant used in treatment of diabetes mellitus. This plant was processed in the traditional way (water decoction) and administered i.p. to normoglycemic and diabetic mice. Hexane, chloroform, methanol and water extracts were administered to fasting healthy mice. The results showed that the water decoction, methanolic extract and aqueous extracts exhibit hypoglycemic activity in the studied mice. The methanolic extract was submitted to a separation process by chromatographic column from which seven fractions were obtained. Each fraction was administered to healthy mice and hypoglycemic activity was found in fraction VII. A second chromatographic separation was performed on this fraction, to yield seven subfractions. The results of the biological trials showed that the subfractions SFII and SFIII significantly reduce blood glucose levels in healthy mice.