Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Agent”
Chapter 1
Diabetes is a lifelong disease that can affect both children and adults. Type one
diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, usually occurs in people less
than thirty years of age, but it also may appear at any age. On the other side type 2 diabetes,
the common type of diabetes, occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Diabetes
is a very serious disease with many life threatening consequences, but if it is taken care of
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the blood glucose or blood sugar level is too
high (hyperglycemia). Blood glucose is the main source of energy that comes from the
food we eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into
the cells to be used for energy. Sometimes the body does not make enough insulin or does
not use insulin well. Glucose then stays in the blood and does not reach the cells. Over
time, having too much glucose in the blood can cause health problems.
glucose uptake.
The use of metformin is associated with modest weight loss. When used alone,
metformin does not cause hypoglycemia; however, it may potentiate the hypoglycemic
effects of sulfonylureas and insulin. Its main side effects are dyspepsia, nausea and
diarrhea. Metformin should be avoided in those with severely compromised renal function,
provides an abundant source of medicinal plants which are known to be used in the
treatment of a wide range of diseases, alternative herbal medicine from natural origin can
help to get the new molecular lead as a hope towards the better efficacious and safe
properties. One such extensively studied plant is Senna alata, more commonly known as
akapulko, wherein it can be found as ornamental plants in almost everywhere; its leaves
are known for their medicinal purposes (laxative, intestinal parasites expellers, and
fungicide property).
effect of (Senna alata) akapulko as an antihyperglycemic agent. And so, the researchers
thought of utilizing akapulko as the primary raw ingredient for an alternative agent.
Moreover, attempted to prove that (Senna alata) akapulko may be acting on the extrinsic
cascade that could lead into the development of antihyperglycemic with optimized efficacy
antihyperglycemic agent.
2. Is there a significant difference between the effectiveness of the plant extract and
a. Effectiveness,
b. Cost effectiveness?
Considering the adverse effects of the existing antihyperglyvcemic agents and the
growing rate of people suffering from Diabetes. The study endeavored to know the
essential results and findings of this study could benefit the following:
The people and society. This study would benefit the community since akapulko
is abundant throughout the country which can help people to have much more affordable
for high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, atherosclerosis and other diseases caused by
organic fertilizer which could address problems related with poor crop production and soil
toxicity caused by the use of inorganic fertilizer. Thus, it will help preserve our
environment.
conducting new researches or in testing the validity of other related findings. This study
would also served as their cross-reference that will give them a background or an overview
This study aims to determine if the the effectiveness of akapulko (Senna alata) as
antihyperglycemic agent.
The akapulko leaves and flowers extract will be from the grasslands in Concepcion.
This study will be limited to determining the effect of the candle bush as an
antihyperglycemic agent. And lastly the extrinsic cascade that could be a hope towards
This chapter presents a review of Related Literature and research studies which that
Related Literature
Diabetes is a chronic, incurable disease that occurs when the body doesn’t produce
any or enough insulin, leading to hyperglycemia (an excess of sugar in the blood). Insulin
is a hormone, produced by the pancreas, which helps the cells of the body use the glucose
There are three common forms of diabetes: type 1 diabetes (body cells fail to
produce insulin due to a compromised immune system), type 2 diabetes (the commonest
type of diabetes when there is low production of insulin by the body cells or the body), and
gestational diabetes (happens when there is a development of high blood sugar level in
Eventually, the high blood sugar caused by excessive amounts of glucose in the
blood leads to a variety of complications, particularly for the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart
The normal blood sugar levels for humans are less than 100 mg/dL after not eating (fasting)
for at least eight hours. And they're less than 140 mg/dL two hours after eating. For animals
during the day, levels tend to be at their lowest just before meals. For most
animals without diabetes, blood sugar levels before meals hover around 70 to 80
Metformins
hyperglycemia, it is also the first line therapy for type 2 diabetes. Metformin works by
helping to restore the body's response to insulin. It decreases the amount of blood sugar
that the liver produces and that the intestines or stomach absorb. Metformin, other than
hypoglycemic activity, has been taken with diet and exercise changes to prevent diabetes
in people who are at high risk for becoming diabetic. It is also used in women with
Metformin was first synthesized and found to decrease the blood glucose level in
the 1920s; however, it was not used for a long time. The use of metformin was rekindled
in 1957, when the results of a clinical trial were published confirming its effect on diabetes.
Metformin is now widely prescribed as an anti-diabetic drug; however, there have been
serious concerns about its adverse effects, especially ketoacidosis. Recently, not only some
implications have been discovered for metformin, Its main side effects are dyspepsia,
nausea and diarrhea. Metformin should be avoided in those with severely compromised
renal function, acute/decompensated heart failure, and severe liver disease. (Scarpello JH,
and middle altitudes. It is also cultivated for its ornamental and medicinal properties.
one of the medicinally important plants in the Philippines. It has been used to cure
poisonous bites and venereal eruptions. The leaves are antiherpetic, purgative, and cure for
ringworm and other skin diseases. A decoction of the leaves and flowers is used as
the mouth). The seeds are also used as vermifuge. The bioactive substances in ‘akapulko’
include chrysophamic acid and tannin found in the leaves and oxymethyl anthraquinone in
fruits. (stuartxchange.org)
Shrub, up to 3 m or more tall. The leaves are pinnate, up to 60 cm long. The leaflets
are 16 to 28, oblong, 5 to 15 cm long, rounded having a short point at the apex. The terminal
and axillary inflorescences are up to 50 cm long. The flowers are yellow, about 4 cm in
diameter, and are at the axils of yellow, oblong concave bracts which are 2.5 to 3 cm long.
The pod is rather straight, dark brown or black when ripe, about 15 x 15 cm wide. The pods
are winged on both sides, running their entire length, each containing 50 to 60 seeds.
Related Studies
According to Godofredo (2017), Senna alata seed are used to treat intestinal
parasitisim, tincture from it leaves are reported to be purgative which are used for
ringworm, scabies, eczema, tinea infections, itches, insect bites and herpes. The pod and
In the study of Christine L. et al. (2011) the findings showed C. fistula and S. alata
are significant and are found to effectively reduce the body weight and weight of
parametrial fat in mice due to their tannin contents. Both plants present as potential sources
fatty acids and the potential inhibition of α-glucosidase activities. Thus British researchers
believes that Senna alata may have the potential efficacy in treating diabetes.
Data accrued from the study of John E. and Mustafa R. (2013) clearly indicate that
the methanolic extract of the leaves at 500 mgkg−1 dose exhibited significant carbohydrate
inhibition and antilipidemic activity than at low dose (250 mgkg−1) in the STZ-
hyperglycemia in rats has been studied and the results were compared with glybenclamide.
While the extract has no effect on glucose levels in normoglycemic animals, it reduced the
agent. Senna alata is similar to the current researches contains wherein it anthraquinones,
flavonoids, sterols, tannins, triterpenoids, saponins, fatty acids and potential inhibition of
α-glucosidase activity of the plant. The research determines the bioactive constituents of
some medicinal plants or ornamental plants and their effectiveness in the area of
The idea of utilizing akapulko (Senna alata Linn.) is not a duplication of the
previous studies that were conducted related to it. The researcher found it to be a good
scheme to utilize the leaves and flower extracts of the plant as it would attempt to provide