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Chamaecostus cuspidatus, common name fiery costus or spiral flag, is a species of herbaceous plant in the family Costaceae native to eastern Brazil (States of Bahia and Espírito Santo). [1] [2] [3] In India, it is known as insulin plant for its purported anti-diabetic properties. [4] Chamaecostus cuspidatus has large fleshy-looking leaves.
Phytochemistry is the study of phytochemicals, which are chemicals derived from plants.Phytochemists strive to describe the structures of the large number of secondary metabolites found in plants, the functions of these compounds in human and plant biology, and the biosynthesis of these compounds.
Insulin resistance is a common feature of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. For this reason, gluconeogenesis is a target of therapy for type 2 diabetes, such as the antidiabetic drug metformin , which inhibits gluconeogenic glucose formation, and stimulates glucose uptake by cells.
Plants produce glucose from carbon dioxide and water by photosynthesis. The glucose is used to generate the chemical energy required for general metabolism as well as a precursor to myriad organic building blocks such as nucleic acids , lipids , proteins , and structural polysaccharides such as cellulose .
In China, Japan, India, and Germany, there is a great deal of interest in and support for the search for new drugs from higher plants. [4] For example, the Herbalome Project was launched in China in 2008 and aims to use high throughput sequencing and toxicity testing to identify active components in traditional herbal remedies. [12]
Phytochemicals are chemicals of plant origin. [1] Phytochemicals (from Greek phyto, meaning "plant") are chemicals produced by plants through primary or secondary metabolism. [2] [3] They generally have biological activity in the plant host and play a role in plant growth or defense against competitors, pathogens, or predators. [2]
Insulin is a peptide hormone containing two chains cross-linked by disulfide bridges. Insulin (/ ˈ ɪ n. sj ʊ. l ɪ n /, [5] [6] from Latin insula, 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the insulin (INS) gene. It is the main anabolic hormone of the body. [7]
The endosperm is a tissue produced inside the seeds of most of the flowering plants following double fertilization. It is triploid (meaning three chromosome sets per nucleus) in most species, [1] which may be auxin-driven. [2] It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This ...