Triterpenes from Agarista mexicana as potential antidiabetic agents.

Hypoglycaemic activity-guided fractionation together with chemical analysis led to the isolation of 12-ursene and a novel triterpene 23,24 dimethyl-24-ethyl-stigmast-25-ene from the chloroform extract of the dried stem of A. mexicana. Identification was based on spectroscopic methods. The isolated triterpenes were tested for hypoglycaemic activity in normal and alloxman-diabetic CD1 mice 25-30 g at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. The blood glucose levels were determined before and 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 24 h after intraperitoneal drug administration. The results showed that the triterpenes produced a significant hypoglycaemic effect in normal as well as in diabetic mice. Comparison was made between the action of the triterpenes and a known hypoglycaemic drug, tolbutamide (50 mg/kg). The 12-ursene was found to be slow and less effective than tolbutamide, and the 23,24 dimethyl-24-ethyl-stigmast-25-ene was shown to be more effective than tolbutamide.