Anti-hyperglycemic/antidiabetic activity of Serjanic acid obtained from Cecropia telenitida.

Cecropia telenitida is restricted to the central and northern sections of the Andes. The principal ethno-pharmacological use comprises anti-inflammatory properties, and the treatment of diabetes type 2 [1]. Serjanic acid is one of the most abundant pentacyclic triterpenes present in the roots of C. telenitida [2]. In this study, we evaluated the anti-hyperglycemic potential of Serjanic acid by using an insulin resistance mouse model. An ethyl acetate extract of roots of C. telenitida was partitioned with hexane and ethanol. The ethyl acetate was concentrated, diluted in methanol and purified by Sephadex LH-20. The fractions containing triterpenes were pooled and used for analytical and biological assays. We evaluated the effect of Serjanic acid on hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance and insulin blood levels in C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). After 10 Serjanic acid oral doses, animals were sacrificed. Blood samples were taken to evaluate glucose, insulin, lipid and adipokine plasma levels. We demonstrated that Serjanic acid was effective in ameliorating the hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance in mice fed with HFD. Results showed no change in triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels. However, serjanic acid reduced total cholesterol, increased HDL and reduced significantly plasma leptin levels in mice fed with a HFD. In addition, Serjanic acid increased insulin levels and this could contribute to reduce the hyperglycemia and improve glucose tolerance.

[1] Aragão DM, Guarize L, Lanini J, da Costa JC, Garcia RM, Scio E. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010; 128:629 – 33.

[2] Guillermo L. Montoya Peláeza, Jelver A. Sierra, Fernando Alzate, Ulrike Holzgrabee, José R. Ramirez-Pineda. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 2013, 23;754 – 761