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Psacalium decompositum (Gray) H.E. Rob. & Brett (Asteraceae), popularly known as "matarique," is a medicinal plant used in Mexico for the empirical treatment of diabetes mellitus. Previous studies with P. decompositum roots demonstrated that an aqueous fraction containing carbohydrates (WMP-fraction) exhibited a notable hypoglycemic effect in experimental animals. However, studies to identify these carbohydrates have not yet been performed. The goal of this investigation was to isolate and characterize the principal compounds in the WMP-fraction by spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis. Additionally, we sought to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of these compounds in healthy and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The results show that the chemical structures of the major compounds in the WMP-fraction correspond with fructan-type oligosaccharides and have a hypoglycemic effect in healthy and diabetic mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to study the anti-hyperglycemic effect of Psacalium peltatum, a folk medicinal plant used in treatment of diabetes mellitus. This plant was processed in the traditional way (water decoction) and administered i.p. to normoglycemic and diabetic mice. Hexane, chloroform, methanol and water extracts were administered to fasting healthy mice. The results showed that the water decoction, methanolic extract and aqueous extracts exhibit hypoglycemic activity in the studied mice. The methanolic extract was submitted to a separation process by chromatographic column from which seven fractions were obtained. Each fraction was administered to healthy mice and hypoglycemic activity was found in fraction VII. A second chromatographic separation was performed on this fraction, to yield seven subfractions. The results of the biological trials showed that the subfractions SFII and SFIII significantly reduce blood glucose levels in healthy mice.