Use of herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus in adults from the central-western region of Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine (HM) use and factors influencing HM usage including the identification of the main plants consumed by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in central-western Mexico. DESIGN: A total of 1862 patients with diabetes were surveyed in public and private hospitals in four states (Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, and San Luis Potosi) of the central-western region of Mexico. The chi-square test was used to assess associations between HM use and demographic characteristics, such as glucose levels, presence of complications and comorbidities, as well as the selected therapy to treat T2DM. RESULTS: The prevalence of HM use (59.2%) in patients with T2DM was mainly associated with education level (p = 0.001), time of diagnosis of T2DM (p = 0.004), presence of complications (p < 0.001) and comorbidities (p = 0.018) and the use of insulin (p < 0.001). These patients report a higher consumption of herbal medicine compared to those on glycemic control (p < 0.001). The most frequently used medicinal plants to treat T2DM were nopal (54.9%), moringa (26.7%), and aloe (22.1%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HM use to treat T2DM in west-central Mexico is high (59.2%) and its consumption is mostly carried out without the recommendation of a health professional (91.9%). The use of HM increases mainly when the patient uses insulin, during complications of the disease or in patients with an inadequate glycemic control.

Heliopsis longipes: anti-arthritic activity evaluated in a Freund's adjuvant-induced model in rodents

ABSTRACT This study assesses the anti-arthritic effect of the affinin-enriched (spilanthol, main alkamide) hexane extract from the roots of Heliopsis longipes (A. Gray) S.F. Blake, Asteraceae, on a Freund adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rodents. The extract was orally administered at a dose of 2, 6.6, or 20 mg/kg; a significant edema-inhibitory activity in the acute and chronic phases was observed with a dose of 2 and 20 mg/kg, respectively. The extract showed higher anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects than the reference drug phenylbutazone (80 mg/kg). Moreover, the extract prevented the occurrence of secondary lesions associated to this pharmacological model.

Biopharmaceutical Characterization and Bioavailability Study of a Tetrazole Analog of Clofibric Acid in Rat.

In the current investigation, the physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic characterization of a new clofibric acid analog (Compound 1) was evaluated. Compound 1 showed affinity by lipophilic phase in 1 to 5 pH interval, indicating that this compound would be absorbed favorably in duodenum or jejunum. Also, Compound 1 possess two ionic species, first above of pH 4.43 and, the second one is present over pH 6.08. The apparent permeability in everted sac rat intestine model was 8.73 × 10-6 cm/s in duodenum and 1.62 × 10-5 cm/s in jejunum, suggesting that Compound 1 has low permeability. Elimination constant after an oral administration of 50 µg/kg in Wistar rat was 1.81 h-1, absorption constant was 3.05 h-1, Cmax was 3.57 µg/mL at 0.33 h, AUC0-α was 956.54 µ/mL·h and distribution volume was 419.4 mL. To IV administration at the same dose, ke was 1.21 h-1, Vd was 399.6 mL and AUC0-α was 747.81 µ/mL·h. No significant differences were observed between pharmacokinetic parameters at every administration route. Bioavailability evaluated was 10.4%. Compound 1 is metabolized to Compound 2 probably by enzymatic hydrolysis, and it showed a half-life of 9.24 h. With these properties, Compound 1 would be considered as a prodrug of Compound 2 with potential as an antidiabetic and anti dyslipidemic agent.

Use of medicinal plants by health professionals in Mexico.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The use of medicinal plants in Mexico has been documented since pre-Hispanic times. Nevertheless, the level of use of medicinal plants by health professionals in Mexico remains to be explored. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the use, acceptance and prescription of medicinal plants by health professionals in 9 of the states of Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Direct and indirect interviews, regarding the use and acceptance of medicinal plants, with health professionals (n=1614), including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and odontologists from nine states in Mexico were performed from January 2015 to July 2016. The interviews were analyzed with the factor the informant consensus (FIC). RESULTS: The information obtained indicated that 46% of those interviewed feel patients should not use medicinal plants as an alternative therapy. Moreover, 54% of health professionals, and 49% of the physicians have used medicinal plants as an alternative therapy for several diseases. Twenty eight percent of health professionals, and 26% of the physicians, have recommended or prescribed medicinal plants to their patients, whereas 73% of health professionals were in agreement with receiving academic information regarding the use and prescription of medicinal plants. A total of 77 plant species used for medicinal purposes, belonging to 40 botanical families were reported by the interviewed. The results of the FIC showed that the categories of diseases of the digestive system (FIC=0.901) and diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.898) had the greatest agreement. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that medicinal plants are used for primary health care in Mexico by health professionals.

Hydrocortisone release from tablets based on bioresorbable poly(ether-ester-urethane)s

Abstract Bioresorbable linear poly(ether-ester-urethane)s with different hydrophilic characteristics were synthesized from triblock copolymers of poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-PEO) as macrodiols, and L-lysine diisocyanate (LDI) or hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) were used as the required diisocyanates. Macrodiols were obtained by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL). Polyurethanes were synthesized by the reaction of the triblock copolymers with LDI or HDI in solution using stannous 2-ethylhexanoate as catalyst. Polyurethane tablets were fabricated and investigated as prospective drug delivery systems. The effect of the PEO content on the polymers' performance as drug carriers was evaluated. It was found that water provoked more swelling and erosion of polymers with higher contents of PEO. The hydrocortisone release profiles were analyzed using the Ritger-Peppas approximation. An anomalous release behaviour (values of n higher than 0.5) was found for most of the analyzed samples.