Encapsulated Indian medicinal plant can reduce blood sugar levels in diabetic mice

Extracts from the grbad Withania coagulans, or Paneer dodi, are used in traditional Indian medicine. Although some healers claim that W. coagulants may help treat diabetes, the bitter-tasting plant has not been thoroughly studied by scientists. Researchers have discovered that herbal extracts packaged in polymers derived from natural substances can reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic mice. They report their results in ACS Omega.

Alternative medicines are becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of chronic diseases, mainly because people think that herbal medicines are less toxic and have fewer side effects. However, this is not always the case and even the so-called "natural" therapies must be carefully tested to verify their efficacy, dose-related toxicity and interactions with other drugs. In addition, scientists must find ways to effectively deliver drugs into the body in a controlled manner. Many plant extracts, like W. coagulantsare bitter and unpleasant at the doses necessary to have beneficial effects. In addition, when they are taken orally, the medicinal components of plant extracts are often destroyed by the acidic conditions of the stomach. That's why Say Chye Joachim Loo and his colleagues wanted to find a way to encapsulate W. coagulants extracted in a delivery system based on natural components that could carry the extract safely into the small intestine, where the cargo would be released and absorbed.

Berries from W. coagulants, the team extracted plant steroid compounds that increased insulin secretion from mouse pancreatic cells in a dish. The researchers encapsulated the steroids in chitosan nanoparticles consisting of shellfish exoskeletons and coated with starch, which delayed the release of the herbal extract under acidic conditions. Finally, the diabetic mice that received the nanoparticles for 5 days had a blood glucose lower by about 40% compared to their initial amount. Surprisingly, even 5 days after the end of the treatment, the mice showed a 60% reduction in their blood glucose levels compared to their starting levels. This effect could come from the ability of the administration system to extend the release of extract over a long period, the researchers said.