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Planta Med 1999; 65(5): 437-439
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-960803
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

α-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Commelina communis

Hang Sub Kim1 , Young Ho Kim3 , Young Soo Hong1 , Nam Soo Paek2 , Hong Sub Lee2 , Tae Man Kim2 , Kee Won Kim2 , Jung Joon Lee1
  • 1Natural Product Biosynthesis Research Unit, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yusong, Taejon, Korea
  • 2Ildong Pharmaceutical Co., Korea
  • 3Present address: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Taejon, Korea
Further Information

Publication History

1998

1999

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

A methanolic extract of Commelina communis showed potent inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. One pyrrolidine alkaloid, 2,5-dihydroxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine (DMDP, 1) and four piperidine alkaloids, 1-deoxymannojirimycin (2), 1-deoxynojirimycin (3), α-homonojirimycin (4) and 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl α-homonojirimycin (5) were isolated by bioassay-directed fractionation and separation. These compounds have been identified for the first time from Commelina communis, supporting the pharmacological basis of this plant that has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes.

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