Type 2 diabetes-mellitus has now  become  epidemic  globally .India is the  capital of diabetes in the world. Type 2 DM is frequently associated with premature CVD. Type 2 diabetic pts. have 3-4 fold ↑ risk for CVD than non-diabetics . Factors are derangement in lipids, oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and coagulation abnormalities.Drugs available for the treatment of diabetes not effective for reversal/prevention of diabetes associated complications. So, it necessitated the search of oral herbal drug with minimum or no side effects having potency in the  reversal/prevention of diabetic  complications.

In the present study, anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic potential of active compounds isolated from aqueous extract of fruit-pulp of Eugenia jambolana (EJ) and leaves of Cassia auriculata (CA) were investigated. Detailed UV, NMR, IR spectra suggested that purified active compound (FIIc) from EJ is α-hydroxy succinamic acid (patent granted) and compound (CA₁₀₀) from CA is a coumarin derivative. The effective dose of FIIc is found to be 15 mg/kg b.wt, while of CA₁₀₀ is 20 mg/kg b.wt., which exhibit glycemic control and lipid-lowering activity is STZ-induced diabetic rats. Significant observation was that their single dose exhibit glycemic control up to 48 hrs, while other drugs require daily administration. FIIc imparts blood glucose-lowering effect through improved insulin levels and control over carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes. FIIc also showed protective effect on hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction and hence, it may have beneficial effect in reducing the risk of development of cardiovascular diseases. CA₁₀₀ exerts anti-hyperglycemic effect through insulin response along with improvement in insulin signaling by reversal of PKC activation and GLUT4 expression and translocation. Both FIIc and CA₁₀₀ treatment cause reversal of fatty steatosis in heart myocardium. The improved insulin levels as well as signaling and decreased activity of HMG CoA reductase by CA₁₀₀ might be responsible for hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic effect. LD₅₀ of FIIc and CA₁₀₀ is found to be much higher than the effective dose, thus they can be considered quite safe which is also proved biochemically and histomorphologically.Patents have already been granted to both lead molecules( FIIc and CA100)  . Hence Prospective candidate for new drug discovery and development.             

Key words: Phytochemicals,   Streptozotocin, Atherosclerosis and Diabetes mellitus

Dr Suman Bala Sharma, Ex- Director Professor in the Deptt. of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi (India) is presently working as Professor in the Dept. of Biochemistry at ESIC, Medical college & Hospital , Faridabad after her superannuation . She is very actively involved in research on diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Her quest for developing new drugs from medicinal plants made her a unique researcher in this area, where she has the distinction of discovering new active molecules from different medicinal plants, for which she has been granted one US and two Indian patents. Her research findings have been published in national and International Journals of repute. Being an active researcher, she was honored as fellow of Association of Clinical Biochemists of India. She has the distinction of supervising several PhD and MD students. She has several medals and awards to her credit.  She is a peer for review on several journals and an active reviewer of research projects for funding by various scientific agencies. She is also the immediate past president of Indian Society for Atherosclerosis Research (ISAR).