Pterocarpus Marsupium

Pterocarpus Marsupium has a long history of use in India as a treatment for diabetes. A potent flavonoid in this tree has been shown to help regenerate beta cells in the pancreas.

Researchers in India studied the effects of this herb on 97 individuals with blood sugar problems and were amazed to find that it helped control blood sugar levels in 69% of them.

Pterocarpus demonstrates cell protective properties too, as well as blood glucose lowering activity. These effects have been reproduced in numerous trials with results of almost complete restoration of normal insulin secretion. The insulin-like activity is completely separate from the stimulation of insulin production from the repair of beta cells.

Clinical Studies

Hypoglycaemic activity of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb

Dhanabal SP, Kokate CK, Ramanathan M, Kumar EP, Suresh B.
Department of Pharmacognosy, University College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kakatiya University, Warangal 506 009, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The antidiabetic activity of various subfractions of the alcohol extract of the bark of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. was evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The effect of these extracts on lipid profile and liver function tests were also assessed to evaluate their activity in controlling diabetes related metabolic alterations. The parameters measured were plasma glucose, total protein, cholesterol, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, SGOT and SGPT. The results indicate the effective role of Pterocarpus marsupium on the above mentioned parameters indicating that Pterocarpus marsupium can also control the diabetes related metabolic alterations apart from controlling the glucose levels. Among the fractions tested the butanol subfraction was found to be more active in comparison with other subfractions. It can be concluded that the butanol subfraction of the alcohol extract of Pterocarpus marsupium exhibits significant antidiabetic activity and corrects the metabolic alterations in diabetic rats and this activity may resemble insulin-like properties. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID: 16397913 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE


Effect of aqueous extract of Pterocarpus marsupium wood on alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Mukhtar HM, Ansari SH, Ali M, Bhat ZA, Naved T.
Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India.

An aqueous extract of Pterocarpus marsupium wood was screened for hypoglycemic activity on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. During both acute and sub-acute tests, the water extract, at an oral dose of 250 mg/kg, showed statistically significant hypoglycemic activity.

PMID: 15997844 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE


Evaluation of anti-hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn, Ocimum sanctum Linn and Pterocarpus marsupium Linn in normal and alloxanized diabetic rats

Vats V, Grover JK, Rathi SS.
Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, 110 049, New Delhi, India.

The hypoglycemic effect of the aqueous (Aq) extract of the bark of Pterocarpus marsupium (PM) and alcoholic (Alc) extract of seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum (FG) and leaves of Ocimum sanctum (OS) was investigated in both normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The Aq extract of PM (1 g/kg PO) significantly (P<0.001) reduced the blood sugar levels from 72.32+/-5.62 to 61.35+/-1.2 mg% 2 h after oral administration of the extract and also significantly lowered the blood glucose in alloxan diabetic rats from 202.91+/-5.44 to 85.22+/-11.28 mg% 21 days after daily oral administration of the extract (P<0.001). Similarly, reduction was seen with Alc extract of FG (74.33+/-4.77 to 60.56+/-1.9 in normal rats and 201.25+/-7.69 to 121.25+/-6.25 in diabetic rats) (P<0.001) and OS (204.48+/-11.0 to 131.43+/-7.86 in normal rats and 73.54+/-3.7 to 61.44+/-2.3 in diabetic rats) (P<0.001). In addition, the extract also showed a favorable effect on glucose disposition in glucose fed hyperglycemic rats.

PMID: 11744301 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]