Warjeet S Laitonjam
Manipur University, India
Title: Isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from some medicinal plants of North East India having anti-diabetic activities
Biography
Biography: Warjeet S Laitonjam
Abstract
Since ancient times, plants have been an important source of medicine. Ayurveda and other Indian literatures mentioned the use of plants in the treatment of various human ailments. North-east India is rich of its flora and fauna; the flora of this region includes aromatic and medicinal plants with a number of bioactive compounds. As is the case with other diseases, medicinal plants have been used since ancient times to treat and manage diabetes mellitus in traditional medical systems of many cultures throughout the world. Currently, medicinal plants continue to play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus, especially in developing countries, where many people do not have access to conventional anti-diabetic therapies Before the coming of the modern pharmacological medicines, the people of the region are using medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Even today, people not only in the rural areas but those living in the urban areas are also using these herbal medicines, and give first preference to herbal treatments by consulting the medicine men.
A report of bioactive compounds isolated from some commonly used medicinal plants of North East India in the indigenous system of health care as anti-diabetics will be highlighted. Rapid advances in the field of diabetes have resulted in the discovery of numerous chemotherapeutic agents till date. However, most of these drugs result in severe side effects causing physical and mental trauma to patients. In order to eliminate the side effects, search for better and safer drugs has been ongoing for several decades, which has resulted in the discovery of anti-diabetic properties of many phytochemicals. On the basis of studies, it was found that a variety of phytochemicals possess hypoglycemic activity. However, the majority of plants with blood glucose lowering activity appear to contain polysaccharides, glycosides and flavonoids.
To study anti-diabetic potential of medicinal plants, firstly, plants are collected (usually selected on the basis of information obtained from traditional healers and herbalists), extracted and screened for hypoglycemic activity using either in vitro or in vivo bioassay techniques. Secondly, active ingredients are isolated and identified from plants showing hypoglycemic effects during the screening tests. Thirdly, the blood glucose lowering mechanism of action of the crude plant extract and active ingredients is investigated. Fourthly, clinical trials are conducted on the crude plant extract or isolated active ingredients.