Pharmacological studies on anti-hyperglycemic effect of folium eriobotryae.

Folium eriobotryae, dried leaves of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. is a traditional Chinese medicine with rich resources in China. This research investigated the anti-hyperglycemic effect of folium eriobotryae on normal and alloxan-diabetic mice. The 70% ethanol extract of folium eriobotryae (EJA-0) in doses of 15, 30 and 60 g (crude drug)/kg exerted a significant hypoglycemic effect on alloxan-diabetic mice, among which 30 g/kg of EJA-0 was more effective than 100 mg/kg of phenformin. The total sesquiterpenes (EJA-1) 30 g (crude drug)/kg had significant effect on lowering blood glucose level in normal or/and alloxan-diabetic mice. The tests of maximum dosage and acute toxicity showed that EJA-1 was safe (MD = 360 g/kg, LD(50) = 400.1 g/kg). The pharmacological tests on anti-hyperglycemic effects of EJA-0 and EJA-1 prove that folium eriobotryae is an outstanding material to develop medicine for treatment of diabetes mellitus.