Changes

===== ''Swertia chirayita'' =====

===== ''Swertia chirayita'' =====

''Kiratatikta'' (Swertia chirata (Roxb.) Buch.-Hum; also known as swertia chirayita (Roxb.) H. Karst.) is a potent anti-diabetic herb. In a pilot study, ''swertia chirata'' produced a significant decrease in fasting and postprandial blood glucose level in patients with diabetes. It contains swechirin, a xanthone found in the swertia species of plants. Xanthones are a unique class of biologically active compounds with antioxidant properties. Research has shown swerchirin produces a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in rat models [20-24]. A 60% decrease in blood glucose induced by swerchirin was accompanied by a marked depletion in B- granules and insulin in the pancreatic islets. Glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in the diaphragm muscle was significantly enhanced in vitro by the serum of swerchirin- treated rats. It was therefore concluded that swerchirin lowers blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin release from the islets of Langerhans [24].

''Kiratatikta'' (Swertia chirata (Roxb.) Buch.-Hum; also known as swertia chirayita (Roxb.) H. Karst.) is a potent anti-diabetic herb. In a pilot study, ''swertia chirata'' produced a significant decrease in fasting and postprandial blood glucose level in patients with diabetes. It contains swechirin, a xanthone found in the swertia species of plants. Xanthones are a unique class of biologically active compounds with antioxidant properties. Research has shown swerchirin produces a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in rat models<ref>Bajpai M, Asthana RK, Sharma NK, et al. Hypoglycemic effect of swerchirin from the hexane fraction of Swertia chirayita. Plant Med 1991; 57: 102-104</ref><ref>Sekar BC, Mukherjee B, Chakravarti RB, Mukherjee SK. Effect of different fractions of Swertia chirayita on the blood sugar level of albino rats. J Ethnnopharmacol 1987; 21: 175-181</ref><ref>Chandrasekar B, Bajpai MB, Mukherjee SK.Hypoglycemic activity  of Swertia chirayita (Roxb ex Flem) Karst. Indian J Exp Bio. 1990; 28: 616-618</ref><ref>Saxena AM, Bajpai MB, Murthy PS, Mukherjee SK. Swerchirin induced  blood sugar lowering of streptozotocin treated hypoglycemic rats. Indian J Exp Biol 1993; 31:178-181</ref>. A 60% decrease in blood glucose induced by swerchirin was accompanied by a marked depletion in B- granules and insulin in the pancreatic islets. Glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in the diaphragm muscle was significantly enhanced in vitro by the serum of swerchirin- treated rats. It was therefore concluded that swerchirin lowers blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin release from the islets of Langerhans<ref>Saxena AM, Bajpai MB, Murthy PS, Mukherjee SK.Mechanism of blood sugar lowering by a swerchirin- containing hexane fraction (SWI) of Swertia chirayita. Indian J Exp Biol 1993; 31:178-181</ref>.

===== ''Enicostema littorale'' =====

===== ''Enicostema littorale'' =====