Antidiabetic Compounds
from <i>Sarracenia purpurea</i> Used Traditionally by the
Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation
- Publication date
- Publisher
Abstract
Through ethnobotanical surveys, the CIHR Team in Aboriginal
Antidiabetic Medicines identified 17 boreal forest plants stemming
from the pharmacopeia of the Cree First Nations of Eeyou Istchee (James
Bay region of Northern Quebec) that were used traditionally against
diabetes symptoms. The leaves of <i>Sarracenia purpurea</i> (pitcher plant), one of the identified Cree plants, exhibited marked
antidiabetic activity in vitro by stimulating glucose uptake in C2C12
mouse muscle cells and by reducing glucose production in H4IIE rat
liver cells. Fractionation guided by glucose uptake in C2C12 cells
resulted in the isolation of 11 compounds from this plant extract,
including a new phenolic glycoside, flavonoid glycosides, and iridoids.
Compounds <b>6</b> (isorhamnetin-3-<i>O</i>-glucoside), <b>8</b> [kaempferol-3-<i>O</i>-(6″-caffeoylglucoside],
and <b>11</b> (quercetin-3-<i>O</i>-galactoside) potentiated
glucose uptake in vitro, which suggests they represent active principles
of <i>S. purpurea</i> (EC<sub>50</sub> values of 18.5, 13.8,
and 60.5 μM, respectively). This is the first report of potentiation
of glucose uptake by compounds <b>6</b> and <b>8</b>,
while compound <b>11</b> (isolated from <i>Vaccinium vitis</i>) was previously shown to enhance glucose uptake. Treatment of H4IIE
liver cells with the new compound <b>1</b>, 6′-<i>O</i>-caffeoylgoodyeroside, decreased hepatic glucose production
by reducing glucose-6-phosphatase enzymatic activity (IC<sub>50</sub> = 13.6 μM), which would contribute to lowering glycemia and
to the antidiabetic potential of <i>S. purpurea.</i