INSULIN PLANTS VEGETABLE INSULINS
Costus Pictus
Chamaecostus cuspidatus
CHAMAECOSTUS CUSPIDATUS = COSTUS IGNEUS = COSTUS CUSPIDATUS
COSTUS PICTUS = COSTUS MEXICANUS
COSTACEAE
Costaceae are plants that are most often tropical and quite similar from a botanical point of view to ginger and turmeric.
Costaceae specialists have recently completely revised the classification of these plants, which therefore often have two scientific names: their old and their new, which is a source of confusion.
We describe on this page the properties of two species of « COSTUS »:
- CHAMAECOSTUS CUSPIDATUS formerly COSTUS IGNEUS originating from eastern Brazil with orange flowers, the fairly large and fleshy leaves grow in a spiral on the stem, they are green with purple highlights on their underside, the spiral plant reaches 50 to 60 cm.
- COSTUS PICTUS native to MEXICO and neighboring countries of Central America with yellow flowers tinged with red dots and stripes, the leaves are narrower, they grow in a spiral on the green stem sometimes tinged with red which reaches 50 to 60 cm.
These plants are now present in many tropical and equatorial countries, they are acclimatized and cultivated in India, Indonesia and the Philippines where they are part of local pharmacopoeias (in particular in Ayurvedic medicine and Siddha medicine).
We notice that very often there is confusion about the name of these plants which are both called « insulin plants » in the local language.
To complicate things there are other neighboring species, also considered medicinal and also having antidiabetic properties.
COSTUS AFER found in West Africa, which reaches a large size (several meters).
COSTUS SPICATUS present in South America and the Antilles in rather humid areas, which can reach 2 meters high
CHEILOCOSTUS SPECIOSUS formerly COSTUS SPECIOSUS, native to the Pacific Islands or southern Asia, currently present in many tropical areas because it is a decorative plant and easy to cultivate, it is part of the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia (India).
The medicinal parts of the two « Costus » commonly called « insulin plants », « anti-diabetes plants » are: especially the leaves, to a lesser extent the stems and rhizomes, the essential oil of the whole plant.
These two plants are not yet part of the pharmacopoeias of Western medicine but they are widely used in Asia (India, Indonesia, Philippines) and to a lesser extent in Mexico to try to control type 2 diabetes.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES
THE LEAVES OF CHAMAECOSTUS CUSPIDATUS AND COSTUS PICTUS
ANTIDIABETIC PROPERTIES
The few pharmacological studies on these plants do not reveal the presence of original compounds or those with a particular pharmacological activity, but several studies, mainly in India, show that extracts of these plants have hypoglycemic and blood sugar regulating properties.
Studies on pancreatic cell cultures and animals (mice and rats) show that aqueous extracts of leaves (infusion-decoction), alcoholic extracts (maceration with methanol or ethanol), dried leaf powder, fresh leaves, and alcoholic extracts of rhizome:
– lower and normalize blood sugar in artificially diabetic animals,
– increase insulin secretion, and glycogen synthesis in the liver (antidiabetic effect),
– normalize blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides),
– but apparently there is no particular effect on animals that are not diabetic.
Aqueous and alcoholic extracts contain substances often present in plants:
– carbohydrates,
– proteins,
– flavonoids, including quercetin
– tannins,
– sterols,
– traces of alkaloids,
– terpenoids (essential oils)
– mineral salts: K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn.
Quercetin is a very bitter substance known for its anti-inflammatory power, its ability to trap free radicals and therefore to protect tissues.
DIABETES AND RHIZOME OF CHAMAECOSTUS CUSPIDATUS
An interesting approach was the comparative study (in relation to the antidiabetic drug metformin) of the potential chemical association of aqueous extracts of the rhizome of Chamaecostus cuspidatus with several important enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism and therefore the regulation of blood sugar.
This purely theoretical study (in silico) shows that rhizome extracts could indeed act on the regulation of blood sugar and tissue resistance to insulin, the main cause of type 2 diabetes.
Among the compounds studied, a lactone (d-Lyxo-d-manno-nononic-1,4-lactone) appears to be the potentially most interesting compound for its ability to associate with several important enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism and to lift tissue resistance to insulin.
This molecule does not appear to be toxic.
OTHER PROPERTIES OF CHAMAECOSTUS CUSPIDATUS AND COSTUS PICTUS LEAVES
– Leaf extracts with ethyl alcohol (ethanol), methyl alcohol (methanol) or simply water (infusions, decoction, maceration) have antioxidant properties, therefore anti-inflammatory and protective of tissues.
The extract that is the most antioxidant is the methanol extract.
– This methanol extract also contains antibiotic substances (antibacterial and antifungal)
– The ethyl extract has in vitro anticancer power on several cancer cell lines.
– The aqueous extract (infusion-decoction) prevents the formation of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine (calcium oxalate urinary stones), and we know that this type of urinary stones cause terrible attacks of renal colic.
THE RHIZOMES OF “INSULIN PLANTS”
They are less studied and the results are fragmentary, they contain a very fatty essential oil and with antibacterial and antifungal terpenes (linalool and alpha-terpineol).
USES
COSTUS LEAVES
Traditional medicines from Central America, India and Southeast Asia use Costus leaves to treat and stabilize type 2 diabetes.
– The fresh leaf can be chewed and consumed without preparation, the juice can also be extracted after crushing and pressing: the usual dose is one to two fresh leaves per day.
– The most common preparation is an aqueous infusion-decoction of fresh or dried leaves (one leaf per day), or leaf powder (about 3 g of powder per day, the equivalent of a teaspoon of powder).
– There are now many preparations based on Costus extract, which can be found on the internet or in stores specializing in food supplements. There is no standardization for these extracts, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
CONTRAINDICATIONS, SIDE EFFECTS, AND PROHIBITION OF SALE
– The extracts of these plants can cause digestive disorders (diarrhea, gastritis),
– It is necessary to introduce the taking of Costus extracts with caution when already following an antidiabetic treatment. There is a risk of hypoglycemia with symptoms such as: sweating, paleness, feeling of abnormal hunger, mild nausea and neurological signs nervousness, tremors, dizziness, palpitations or even loss of consciousness!!
– the side effects are not known in pregnant women, caution.
– Some countries prohibit (in particular the USA) the sale of unapproved food supplements based on Costus leaf extracts or Costus leaf powder
COSTUS CULTIVATION
Costus are decorative plants often found in gardens in hot and humid tropical and subtropical regions.
They are propagated by fragmenting the rhizome, or by seeds, or by cuttings.
The soil must remain moist, in a semi-shaded position.
Copyright 2024: Dr Jean-Michel HURTEL
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