Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Antidiabetic Compounds
Diabetes, a major causative factor for death, may increase the risks of heart disease,
kidney failure, blindness, and other serious health disorders. There are two types of
diabetes mellitus (DM): type 1, juvenile diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent diabe-
tes mellitus (IDDM)), which is hereditary, and type 2, adult diabetes mellitus (non-
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)), which occurs in older people. Many
freshwater plants offer a variety of hypoglycemic (antihyperglycemic) compounds,
such as alkaloids, glycosides, terpenes, lavonoids, etc., for combating both types of
DM.
OSCILLATORIA PERORNATA
SKUJA, 1949
Phylum: Cyanobacteria
Class: Cyanophyceae
Order: Oscillatoriales
Family: Oscillatoriaceae
Distribution: Australia, New Zealand
Habitat: Freshwater habitats
Description: The trichome of this species measures 4 and 10 µm in length and
breadth, respectively.
Compounds and activities: From the pentane extracts of this species, volatile
antidiabetic and antimicrobial compounds such as heptadecane (57%),
2-methylisoborneol (29.4%), benzaldehyde (1.2%), dimethyl disulide (1%),
dimethyl trisulide (0.5%), and benzothiazole (0.6%) have been isolated
(Tellez et al., 2001). Research is being conducted to ind out their potential
as pharmaceutical compounds.
H
3
C
CH
3
heptadecane
O
N
H
S
benzaldehyde
benzothiazole
LYNGBYA DENDROBIA
BRUHL & BISWAS, 1923
Phylum: Cyanobacteria
Class: Cyanophyceae
Order: Oscillatoriales
Family: Oscillatoriaceae
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