Ethnopharmacological relevance: Juniperus (Cupressaceae) species are widely used as folk medicine in spreading countries. Decoction of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus L. leaves is used internally to lower blood glucose levels in Turkey.
Aim of the study: To determine hypoglycaemic and antidiabetic activities of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus leaves and to identify active compounds through bioactivity guided isolation technique.
Materials and methods: Ethanol and water extracts of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus (Joso), leaves on oral administration were studied using in vivo models in normal, glucose-hyperglycemic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Through in vivo bioactivity-guided fractionation processes, a nonpolar fraction was separated from the n-hexane subextract by silica gel column chromatography as the main active fraction. Subfractions of this fraction was found to possess antidiabetic activity and their chemical composition was investigated by GC-FID and GC-MS, simultaneously.
Results: This is the first report on the antidiabetic constituents of Joso leaves. Fatty acids, such as palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acid were found as the major compounds in subfractions.
Conclusion: Results indicated that Joso leaf extract and its active constituents might be beneficial for diabetes mellitus.
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