POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF ALACHE (Anoda cristata (L.) Schltdl.)

Abstract

Anoda cristata (alache) is a Mexican “quelite” tolerated in small producers’ agri-systems, considered an underutilized plant resource. It produces a mucilage like some plants of the Malvaceae family to which alaches belong. The broth of a culinary preparation of alaches containing this mucilage was studied to know its effect on glucose absorption and lipids metabolism in a murine model fed on a high-fat diet, drinking sweetened water at a level similar to soft drinks, during all the study, comparing it to a group treated with metformin. Blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and parameters indicating lipemia were evaluated. Besides, a postmortem histological revision was performed to know the possibility of steatosis. Results indicated that the broth of a traditional culinary preparation containing, besides the viscous polysaccharide, a series of phytocompounds not completely identified, produced on the animals showing glucose intolerance a similar effect to metformin intake. Even though it produced a slight increase of low and high density lipoproteins, and it kept appropriate cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma glucose and  glycosylated hemoglobin levels. No macroscopic lesions were found; only the liver showed steatosis at levels low to moderate. No biochemical signs of further damage were found. Other organs inspected did not indicate any damage. The conclusion was that the viscous broth of the traditional alaches soup was able to maintain glucose levels at normal intervals in animals fed on a high-fat diet plus sugared water, like the effects observed in the group treated with metformin and was able to keep other biochemical parameters at normal levels. This allows to propose the inclusion of Anoda cristata on several foods and increase its consumption especially for patients suffering from glucose intolerance.