Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4754896 | New Biotechnology | 2017 | 52 Pages |
Abstract
Various plant species have long been used in traditional medicine worldwide to treat diabetes. Among the plant-based compounds with hypoglycemic properties, studies on insulin-like proteins isolated from leaves, fruits and seeds are rarely reported in the relevant literature. Our research group has been investigating the presence of insulin-like proteins in Moringa oleifera, a plant species native to India, and we have obtained a leaf protein isolate and semi-purified derived fractions, as well as a seed coat protein fraction (Mo-SC), with hypoglycemic activity in chemically induced diabetic mice that have increased tolerance to orally administered glucose. Equally importantly, Mo-SC possesses insulin-like antigenic epitopes. In this context, the present review aims to highlight that prospection of insulin-like proteins in plants is of the utmost importance both for finding new drugs for the treatment of diabetes and for shedding light on the mechanisms involved in diabetes.
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Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Bioengineering
Authors
P.C. Paula, J.T.A. Oliveira, D.O.B. Sousa, B.G.T. Alves, A.F.U. Carvalho, O.L. Franco, I.M. Vasconcelos,