Abstract

STUDY OF SOME MINERAL ELEMENTS IN SELECTED ANTIDIABETIC MEDICINAL PLANTS OF KULLU DISTRICT, HIMACHAL PRADESH (INDIA) BY WDXRF SPECTROMETER

Nirja*, Richa and Manohar Lal Sharma

ABSTRACT

Many diseases including diabetes mellitus have experimentally been shown to be managed by medicinal plant extracts. Present study pertains to four medicinal plants which are traditionally used in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh for treating diabetes, which has been studied for their mineral element contents. There is evidence that the metabolism of trace elements is altered in diabetic patients especially in type 2 diabetes and their plasma glucose level fluctuate due to the disease. The plants which are taken for the elemental analysis through WD-XRF spectrometer are Ainsliaea aptera, Ajuga parviflora, Plantago major, Picrorhiza kurroa. The elements which are reported from these plants includes K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Cr. These elements are very helpful in reducing glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Many of these elements are known to have insulin-like property. These elements can be given as supplements for the diabetic patients. Therefore plants with these mineral elements are more useful for the diabetics and also some of these elements such as Cu, Mn and Zn is commonly referred to as antioxidant minerals that are required for the activity of some antioxidant enzymes. In the antioxidant activity, the elements such as Cr, Mn, Fe and Cu plays a major role. Quantitative estimation of these plants gives the idea of dosage which is prepared from the plants. Both, the deficiency and overdose of mineral elements have an adverse effect on human health.

Keywords: Diabetes, elements, glucose intolerance, supplements, antioxidant.