Chemical constituents from Agave applanata and its anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities associated to its tissue repair capability.

Agave applanata is a Mexican agave whose fresh leaves are employed to prepare an ethanol tonic used to relieve diabetes. It is also applied to the skin on varicose and diabetic foot ulcers to relieve wounds, inflammation, and infections. In this study, the chemical composition of this ethanol tonic is established and associated with its antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound healing activities. The fresh leaves of A. applanata were extracted with ethanol:H2O (85:15). A fraction of this extract was lyophilized (HAE), and the remainder was partitioned into CH2Cl2 (DS), n-BuOH (BS) and water (AQR). DS and BS fractions were subjected to successive open column chromatography process. The structure of the isolated compounds was established using NMR and MS spectra. The antihyperglycemic activity was evaluated through in vivo sucrose and glucose tolerance experiments, as well as ex vivo intestinal absorption and hepatic production of glucose. Wound healing and edema inhibition were assayed in mice. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of HAE, its fractions, and pure compounds were determined through agar microdilution against the most isolated pathogens from diabetic foot ulcers. Fatty acids, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, hecogenin (1), N-oleyl-D-glucosamine, β-daucosterol, sucrose, myo-inositol, and hecogenin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-galactopyranoside (2) were characterized. This research provides evidence for the pharmacological importance of A. applanata in maintaining normoglycemia, showing anti-inflammatory activity and antimicrobial effects against the microorganisms frequently found in diabetic foot ulcers. This plant plays an important role in wound healing and accelerated tissue reparation.