UNAIR NEWS – World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that adult diabetes patients is increasing. In Indonesia, in 2000 the number of patients with diabetes reached more than eight million people and is estimated to increase to 21 million by 2030. The results of basic health research in 2007 showed that the cause of death due to diabetes in the 45-54 year age group in urban areas are higher than rural areas.
Diabetes also causes several complications such as hypertension, blindness, kidney failure, until death. But actually, diabetes can be treated by controlling blood sugar levels in the body.
Blood sugar plays a very important role in preventing complications of diabetes. Ways to control blood sugar levels that can be done is to regulate diet, exercise, and medicine.
However, in certain conditions often the treatment is not getting satisfactory results. So it needs additional therapy for example by using herbal ingredients.
In this regard, UNAIR Faculty of Medicine lecturer Dr. Arifa Mustika, dr., M.Si conducted a research and the result of the research showed that guinea hen weed (Petiveria alliacea)leaf extract has the potential to reduce blood sugar levels.
“Research was conducted on experimental animals Rattus norvegicus which were injected with streptozotocin intraperitoneally as a model of experimental animals with diabetes,” she explained. The results showed, guinea hen weed leaf extract was effective in reducing blood sugar levels in animal models of diabetes through the induction of 5 ′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) protein .
Guinea hen weed leaf itself is one of the plants in the family Phytolaccaceae . The plant is bush-shaped, ducked, it can reach 1 meter high, with 6-19 cm length leaves, tapered, sharp-tipped and has a distinctive smell like the onion clan.
However, the use of herbal medicines has various obstacles. “The extract contains a variety of compounds, so there is a possibility of competition in the absorption process which will cause the absorption of active ingredients in the gastrointestinal to be reduced,” she said.
But various studies have been developed to improve the formulation and delivery system of drugs. The goal is to increase the level of active ingredients to the target organ. “One of them is by delivering active ingredients in the nanoparticle system,” she concluded.
Therefore, Arifa together with some colleagues conducted a research on nanoparticle formulations for guinea hen weed leaf extract. “This is exploratory research aimed at finding the right formulation for guinea hen weed leaf extract in the nanoparticle system,” she said. The research was conducted by making a guinea hen weed leaf extract formulation in an autonanoemulsification system.
The research was conducted in several stages, the manufacture of Singawalang leaf extract, testing the components of oil, surfactants, and co surfactants.
With this research, the composition of the autonanoemulsion formula and the extract loading into the system were carried out at the same time. Then, the chosen formulation is characterized using electron microscopy and particle size analyzer. In the end, Arifa mentioned that the results of the research could be the basis for the development of herbal medicines into phytopharmaca. (*)
Author: Erika Eight Novanty
Editor : Khefti Al Mawalia
Reference:
https://innovareacademics.in/journals/index.php/ijap/article/view/35772
Arifa Mustika, Nurmawati Fatimah, Gadis Meinar Sari. 2019. Formulation And Characterizations Of Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System Of Extract Petiveria Alliacea (Singawalang) Leaves. International Journal Of Applied Pharmaceutics, Vol 11, Special Issue 5.
