Medicinal plants and derived producs commercialized as antidiabetics in Buenos Aires-La Plata conurbation, Argentina

Abstract

This contribution includes 115 medicinal vascular plants species marketed as antidiabetics in the Buenos Aires-La Plata conurbation, Argentina. Information on assigned local uses as antidiabetic was obtained from interviews, data labels, brochures and print and electronic catalogs,also, data reported by the media, especially the Internet. A literature review on biological activity and antidiabetic effect studied for each species was conducted. The invisibility/visibility situation of the treated species was analyzed according to their circulation in the restricted commercial circuit (Chinese and Bolivian immigrants) and the general commercial circuit. Of the total of 115 recorded antidiabetic species, 90 are visible (78.26%) and 25 invisible (21.73%). The large number of the marketed antidiabetic plants increases the choice of the population to combat one of the ailments characteristic of life in large metropolitan areas.