HERB INFOLINE Ingredient of G sylvestre leaves are rich in gymnemic acids, gymnemasaponins, gymnemasides, flavones, anthraquinones, and stigmasterol, and exhibit potent antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic properties.1 A study demonstrates the insulin-sensitizing activity of G sylvestre leaves in male albino Wistar rats. The control and dexamethasone groups received gum acacia orally; the test groups received aqueous extract of G sylvestre leaves (2 and 4 g/kg/po); and the standard drug group received rosiglitazone (8 mg/kg/po), for 12 days. Insulin resistance was induced with dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) intraperitoneal injection from days 7 to 12 in all the groups except in the control group. Serum glucose, insulin level, and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance were evaluated. The results show that pretreatment with G sylvestre aqueous extract significantly prevented glucose intolerance and improved insulin sensitivity.2 Another study evaluated the hypoglycemic activity of G sylvestre leaves in type 2 diabetes–induced Albino rats. Diabetes was induced using streptozocin (60 mg/kg body weight). The nondiabetic control group received distilled water (10 mL/kg/d). The treatment groups simultaneously received streptozocin and methanolic extract of G sylvestre leaves (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight), respectively, and the standard group simultaneously received streptozocin and glibenclamide (5 mg/kg body weight). All the rat groups were fed glucose (5 g/kg) in distilled water, after 30 minutes of their respective treatments. The treatments were continued for 30 days, and the blood glucose levels were measured at regular intervals. The study findings confirm that the diabetic rats treated with the methanolic extract of G sylvestre leaves showed a significant reduction in the fasting blood glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner.3 References 1. Kanetkar P, et al. J Clin BiochemNutr. 2007;41(2):77–81. 2. Nayak IMN, et al. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2017;7:18–22. 3. Ahmed SK, et al. J Med Sci Clin Res. 2017;5(12):31753–31760. Pharmacology Gymnema sylvestre is a perennial, large, woody climber. The leaves are elliptic or ovate and oppositely arranged. The flowers are small, yellow, umbellate cymes. G sylvestre is native to central and western India, tropical Africa, and Australia.1 Morphology • Himalaya Meshashringi • Diabecon (Tablet, DS Tablet) 12 • Himalaya Infoline • Vol 19 • No. 2 • May–Aug 2023
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