Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 23 No 8 (September 2012) - page 51

CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 23, No 8, September 2012 AFRICA 465
the impaired renal and cardiovascular functions often seen in
diabetes. The results suggest that while some extracts such
as Hypoxis hemerocallidea corm aqueous extract (APE) had
hypoglycaemic effects, they may have deleterious effects on
kidney function. Gondwe et al. found that APE increased renal
fluid output and electrolyte retention, and reduced glomerular
filtration rate,32 neither of which are desirable in diabetes mellitus.
In contrast, other studies from our laboratories have shown that
Fig. 2. Sub-chronic treatment with F thonningii bark etha-
nolic extracts (FTE) every third day increased glomerular
filtration rate in STZ-diabetic rats.63
4.5
3.0
1.5
0.0
Non-diabetic
control
Non-diabetic
FTE treated
STZ-diabetic
control
STZ-diabetic
FTE-treated
GFR (ml/min)
Fig. 3. Sub-chronic treatment with oleanolic acid (OA, 60
mg/kg bid every third day) increased glomerular filtration
rate in STZ-diabetic rats.66
4.5
3.0
1.5
0.0
Non-diabetic
control
Non-diabetic
OA treated
STZ-diabetic
control
STZ-diabetic
0A-treated
GFR (ml/min)
TABLE 1. PARTIAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS/PLANT EXTRACTSWHICHAFFECTED THE CARDIOVASCULARAND
KIDNEY FUNCTION IN DIABETES MELLITUS.
Botanical species Bioactive compounds Antidiabetic advantages Renal function advantages
Cardiovascular
advantages References
Allium sativum L (garlic)
(Alliaceae)
phenols
flavonoids
↑ insulin secretion
↑ hepatic glycogen
↑ GFR vasorelaxant,
↓ hypolipidaemic
67, 68
Gongronema latifolium flavonoids
saponins
polyphenols
↑ hepatic glycogen anti-oxidant ↓ hypolipidaemic 69
Foeniculum vulgare L
(Apiaceae)
phytoestrogens ↓ glucose absorption diuretic
natriuretic
vasorelaxant 70
Opuntia megacantha phenols, flavonoids
(quercetin) taxifolin
↓ glucose absorption ↑ GFR vasorelaxant 71, 72, 73
Syzygium spp phenylpropanoids
flavonoids sesquiterpenes
oleanolic acid rhamnetin
↑ hepatic glycogen
↑ insulin secretion
↑ GFR
anti-oxidant
vasorelaxant 63, 66, 74
Sclerocarya birrea
[(A Rich) Hochst]
[Anacardiaceae]
flavonoids,
alkaloids, triterpenoids,
coumarins,
ascorbic acid
↑ hepatic glucose
utilisation
↑ insulin secretion
↑ GFR vasorelaxant 32, 75
Persea americana Mill
(Lauraceae) [Avocado]
tannins, saponins
flavonoids, alkaloids
glycosides
↑ hepatic glycogen
↑ insulin secretion
↑ GFR vasorelaxant
bradycardia
↓ hypolipidaemic
32, 76, 77,
78
Hypoxis hemerocallidea glycoside hypoxoside
β-sitosterol sterolins,
cytokinins
↑ insulin secretion reno-toxic
↓ GFR
cardiodepressant
bradycardia
79, 80
Ficus thonningii (Blume)
[Morarceae]
alkaloids anthraquinones
flavonoids saponins
tannins
↑ hepatic glycogen ↑ GFR cardiodepressant
vasorelaxant
bradycardia
17, 81
Olea europaea L,
(Oleaceae)
triterpenes, flavonoids,
glycosides
↑ insulin secretion
↑ glucose utilisation
↑ GFR
antioxidant
cardiodepressant
vasorelaxant
bradycardia
36, 82, 83,
84
Helichrysum ceres S
Moore
[Asteraceae]
polyphenols, tannins,
triterpenes
saponins
unclear diuretic
natriuretic
cardiodepressant
vasorelaxant,
bradycardia
38, 39
Ekebergia capensis
Sparrm
(Meliaceae)
saponins
alkaloids
flavonoids
tannins
unclear unclear cardiodepressant
vasorelaxant
bradycardia
85