Abstract:
Medicinal plants and their combinations due to the wide range of biologically active substances can influence on various links of
the pathogenetic mechanism of development of diabetes mellitus and its complications. One of such combinations is an antidiabetic
herbal mixture (Urticae folia, Rosae frucrus, Myrtilli folia, Menthae folia and Taraxaci radices) with established hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, pancreatoprotective activity in previous pharmacological study in vivo. Thus, the aim of this
study was to identify and establish the content of carbohydrates in free and bound form in the plant components of antidiabetic herbal mixture. The carbohydrates were separated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after conversion into volatile derivatives as
aldononitrile acetate. The monomeric composition of polysaccharides was studied after their hydrolysis to form monosaccharides
and polyalcohols. The results of the quantitative study showed that the predominant carbohydrate in free form was saccharose in
Urticae folia, L-fructose in Myrtilli folia, Rosae frucrus, Taraxaci radices and Menthae folia, L-glucose in Rosae frucrus. Concerning
the determination of monomers of polysaccharides after hydrolysis, L-glucose prevailed in all plant components of antidiabetic
herbal mixture. The chromatographic study revealed a number of polyalcohols that are important for the treatment and prevention
of progression of diabetes mellitus and its complications, namely, mannitol and myo-inositol.
