A Folk Medicine for Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Tillandsia usneoides L. (Bromeliaceae), an epiphyte commonly referred to as Spanish moss, grows in abundance on the southeastern Coastal Plain (Garth, 1964). Chemically, the plant has been found to contain iour cyclopropane-containing triterpenes (McCrindle and Djerassi, 1961; Djerassi and McCrindle, 1962) as well as at least one flavone glycoside (Webber, Lauter, and Foote, 1952: Lewis and Mabry, 1977). Pharmacologic investigations have revealed the plant to possess a weak antibacterial effect (Webber et al., 1952) Ind estrogenic activity (Feurt and Fox, 1952). The flavone glycoside(s) appear to be responsible for these actions (Webber et a]., 1952; Lewis and Mabry, 1977). Spanish moss tea has long been used in south Louisiana in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (Mallet, 1975). The present paper describes a preliminary study of an aqueous extract of T. usneoides for hypoglycemic activity.