In traditional medicine, the plants have been used to treat a range of health conditions, including diabetes, inflammation, and high cholesterol levels.
Salacia plants are a genus of flowering plants that are native to Sri Lanka, India, and several other countries in Southeast Asia. The genus contains approximately 20 species, many of which have been used for their potential health benefits in traditional medicine.
One particular species, Salacia reticulata, has been the subject of numerous scientific studies due to its potential to improve health outcomes. Salacia plants are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions, where they grow as small shrubs or trees.
In traditional medicine, the plants have been used to treat a range of health conditions, including diabetes, inflammation, and high cholesterol levels.
Research has shown that compounds found in the plant, particularly mangiferin and salacinol, may help lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Salacia reticulata has also been studied for its potential cholesterol-lowering effects and anti-inflammatory properties.
Salacia species are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions and can grow as small shrubs or trees. The plants have a long history of use in traditional medicine in the regions where they grow, and are sometimes used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
One of the most promising potential benefits of Salacia plants is their ability to help lower blood sugar levels. Salacia reticulata has been the focus of numerous scientific studies investigating its potential anti-diabetic effects. Research has shown that compounds found in the plant, particularly mangiferin and salacinol, may help lower blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
This suggests that Salacia plants may have potential benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes. In addition to their potential anti-diabetic effects, Salacia plants have also been studied for their potential cholesterol-lowering effects.
One study published in the International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research found that consuming fenugreek seed extract helped to reduce levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
This suggests that Salacia plants may have potential benefits for individuals with high cholesterol levels. Recent scientific studies have supported some of these traditional uses, suggesting that Salacia plants may have potential benefits for human health.
Salacia species like Salacia oblonga, Salacia prinoides,and Salacia retictulata, are collectively known as ‘Ponkoranti’ in Ayurvedic medicine.
The species is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asian countries like India, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The species S. reticulata is known to be distributed in Sri Lanka and the southern region of India.
Though rare, this species could also be found in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats and the Andaman Islands. It is a large, woody climbing shrub that belongs to the family Hippocrateaceae. The greenish-grey bark of the plant is smooth and white inside.
The average dimension of a leaf is 3-6 x 1-2 inches. They are opposite and elliptic-oblong, base acute, apex abruptly acuminate; margin toothed with minute rounded teeth; leathery, hairless, shiny; lateral nerves about seven pairs, prominent beneath.
It produces greenish white to greenish yellow-coloured flowers in clusters (2–8) in the leaf axils. Flowers are bisexual; calyx lobes are entire, and anthers dehiscate transversely. Fruits are globose, tubercular, and pinkish orange when ripe.
They contain 1–4 seeds. Under Indian conditions, the plant flowers in December, whereas in Sri Lanka, flowering begins in late November and seeds are available from March to June. A mature plant produces thousands of seeds per season.
The species is generally believed to be regenerated only by means of seed propagation; but, could also be produced via vegetative propagation using stem and root cuttings.
Sand media was found to be good for seed germination, with seeds completing germination within 21–30 days. Seedlings should be transplanted into poly bags, and 2-3 months later they are ready for field establishment.
Though a mature plant produces thousands of seeds per season, the species is considered rare, implying that the viability and/or germination ability of the seeds are poor.
However, laboratory investigations have confirmed that a high germination percentage can be obtained by sowing them in coir dust media after pre-soaking in cold water for 24 hours.
Therefore, the poor regeneration capacity of the species might be attributed to the poor moisture availability of the soil at the time of seed maturity. Low survival ability of seedlings in a dry spell might be another possible reason for poor regeneration capacity.
It thrives best in porous and well-drained soils with a pH ranging from 6.5–7.5, a favourable temperature between 26–32 ºC and has been known to tolerate even 35ºC and an annual precipitation of 100–160 cm.
The nutritional requirements of this crop have shown that it responds well to the application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as cow dung and vermin compost. The first irrigation is given immediately after transplanting; weekly irrigation is enough to obtain good growth and yield.
Due to the frequent irrigation during the initial stages, there is a lot of competition from weeds. In order to obtain economic yields, frequent weeding during the early growth period is desirable. Nomajor insect has been reported to infect the plant.
The decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of itching and swelling, asthma, thirst, amenorrhea, and dysmenorrhoea. The roots are acrid, bitter, thermogenic, urinary, astringent, anodyne, and anti-inflammatory. The roots and stem have been widely used in treating diabetes and obesity, gonorrhoea and rheumatism, skin diseases, and haemorrhoids.
In addition, the water extracts of the leaves are known to be beneficial for the prevention of diabetes mellitus and obesity, as their multiple effects, such as the ability to increase the plasma insulin level and lower the lipid peroxide level of the Salacia, inhibit α-glucosidase and decrease postprandial glucose.
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are well suited to treat postprandial hyperglycemia, a common and serious problem faced by many people with Type 2 diabetes metabolism. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors cause competitive, reversible inhibition of α-glucosidase enzyme.
This enzyme is present in the brush border of the small intestine and hydrolyzes complex sugars into monosaccharides. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors also cause a concomitant decrease in gastric inhibitory polypeptide and a rise in late postprandial plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 levels.
In individuals with normal or impaired glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia, α-glucosidase inhibitors decrease hyperinsulinemia and improve insulin sensitivity.
In type 1 diabetic patients, α-glucosidase inhibitors can be used to reduce postprandial glycemic excursions and decrease postprandial hypoglycaemia.
In a sucrose tolerance test on healthy human volunteers, pre-treatment with the aqueous extract of S. reticulata before sucrose loading significantly suppressed postprandial hyperglycemia. S. oblonga root extract lowered acute glycemia and insulinemia in patients with type 2 diabetes after a high-carbohydrate meal.
Salacia inhibits aldose reductase In diabetics, the glucose flux through the polyol pathway (which converts glucose to sorbitol) due to chronic hyperglycemia is significantly increased, which is believed to be responsible for a number of diabetic complications.
There are some side effects of Salacia. It can cause side effects such as gas, belching, pain in the abdomen, nausea, and diarrhoea in some people.
The anti diabetic property of Salacia reticulata has been proved scientifically and it is basically attributed to the inhibitory activity of intestinal enzymes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase). Inhibition of intestinal enzymes delays glucose absorption into the blood and suppresses postprandial hyperglycaemia, resulting in improved glycemic control.
The findings have lead to increase the consumption of the species across the world and it has now become a subject of broad studies for diabetes management. Increasing demand, on the other hand, may create extra pressure on natural habitats. Thus systematic cultivation is needed in order to ensure the sustainable utilization and conservation of the species.