Phytochemical And Antidiabetic Evaluation Of Lantana Camara L. Roots (Family: Verbenaceae)

Herbal drugs have a great significance in the field of therapeutics. Ethno Pharmacological surveys indicate that more than 1200 plants were used in traditional medicine for their alleged hypoglycaemic activity. Lantana camara is a low, erect or sub scandent, vigorous shrub and its root system is very strong with a main taproot. Leaf extracts of Lantana exhibit antimicrobial, fungicidal, insecticidal and nematocidal properties. The methanolic extract of L. camara leaves shown healing of gastric ulcers and also prevents development of duodenal ulcers in rats. Two major components have been reported from L. camara leaves are Lantadene A and Lantadene B. The hepatotoxins are pentacyclic triterpenoids called “lantadenes”. Roots of Lantana plant are rich in oleanolic acid, a hepatoprotective triterpenoid. A novel triterpenoid Lantadene D and Lantadene C, were isolated from the leaves. The present study focuses on the hydroalcoholic extract of L. camara roots which was subjected to phytochemical studies by using different chromatographic techniques. The isolated compounds were characterized using physical, chemical and spectral data. Screening for hypoglycaemic activity was performed on Wistar rats by the Streptozotocin induced hyperglycaemic study and it has shown promising Anti-diabetic activity when compared with standard drug Glibenclamide.