Revista de farmacognosia y productos naturales

Many low- and middle-income nations are unable to provide services to prevent and treat oral health conditions due to the high cost of treatment. Infections of the teeth and gums are frequently treated with medicinal plants and other herbal products because they are inexpensive, readily available, and effective. Traditional medicines have known about various herbal formulas for treating oral infections, and these formulas are successfully utilized in current treatment. Natural treatments for oral health have a lot going for them because they can target a variety of different things and involve complex processes. They can support bacterial communities that are good for oral health, bring the oral microbiota into equilibrium, and reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic health problems globally. There is no satisfactory effective therapy to cure diabetes mellitus. Currently available drugs for managing diabetes produce some serious side effects and have decreased efficacy over time. Calpurnia aurea and Bidens macroptera have been used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and other ailments in Ethiopia.

Objective: To investigate the antidiabetic activities of Bidens macroptera and Calpurnia aurea in streptozotocin induced diabetic mice.

Methods: Qualitative phytochemical screening tests were conducted to identify the chemical constituents of the plants. Healthy swiss albino mice of either sex (25 g-30 g) with no prior drug treatment were used for the present study. An acute toxicity study was carried out according to the 2008 organization for economic cooperation and development guideline 425. The effects of extracts of the plants on fasting blood glucose level and body weight of diabetic mice were evaluated using repeated dose antidiabetic activity test model. Fasting blood samples were collected from the control and test groups weekly to monitor blood glucose levels. Changes in body weight were also recorded weekly.

Results: Phytochemical screening of both plants indicated the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and phenolic compounds that might contribute to the antidiabetic activity. The medium Lethal Doses (LD₅₀) of both extracts were higher than 2 g/kg body weight. The extracts also reduced the elevated blood glucose levels and improved the body weight loss of streptozotocin induced diabetic mice.

Conclusion: The methanolic extracts of Bidens macroptera and Calpurnia aurea revealed blood glucose lowering activity and improved body weight loss of diabetic mice over the 14 days treatment period.

The pancreas is a gland in the left hypochondriac and upper epigastrium of the abdomen that is extremely sensitive and has the shape of an oblong. It is directly behind the stomach. Pancreatic diseases have long been notoriously difficult to study and comprehend due to their location. In order to perform a thorough examination and make a diagnosis of pancreatic conditions, highly specialized equipment and expertise are frequently required, which is not always the case, particularly in developing nations. Because the pancreas is frequently obscured by abdominal gas or other organs and cannot be fully visualized, routine, cost-effective imaging techniques like trans abdominal ultrasound are not very accurate in diagnosing pancreatic diseases. Additionally, the symptoms of pancreatic diseases are frequently multifactorial, vague, and nonspecific, leading to a poor diagnosis in only 9.7% of cases. The use of more efficient diagnostic methods is costly, invasive, and necessitates access to specialists who are well-versed in pancreatic disease, which further complicates the diagnosis.