In the literature there are hundreds of articles, the first dating back to 1866 and the last to 2014, on gymnemic acid, isolated from Gymnema sylvestre, from its isolation to the determination of its biological activities. Gymnemic acid has a CAS number but its structure is not specified. Studies during the second half of the 1970s clearly demonstrated that what was being referred to as gymnemic acid is actually a very complex mixture of dozens of substances, belonging to different classes of natural compounds. This plant, whose infusions or complex mixtures of its metabolites are the basis for many formulas sold in pharmacies and by herbalists, has anti-diabetic and slimming effects. It is certainly misleading to talk about gymnemic acid as a specific molecule. There may be doubts about the exact composition of the products, and consequently about their origin and the claimed effects.
Di FabioG., RomanucciV., ZarrelliM., GiordanoM., ZarrelliA. (2013) C-4 Gem-dimethylated oleanes of Gymnema sylvestre and their pharmacological activities. Molecules, 18, 14892–14919.
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ZarrelliA., LadhariA., HaoualaR., Di FabioG., PreviteraL., DellaGrecaM. (2013) New acylated oleanane and lupane triterpenes from Gymnema sylvestre. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 96, 2200–2206.
3.
ZarrelliA., Della GrecaM., LadhariA., HaoualaR., PreviteraL. (2014) New triterpenes from Gymnema sylvestre. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 96, 1036–1045.
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Di FabioG., RomanucciV., De MarcoA., ZarrelliA. (2014) Triterpenoids from Gymnema sylvestre and their pharmacological activities. Molecules, in press
5.
BertholdB. (1888) A plant which destroys the sense of taste for sweets and bitters. Centr. Med. Wiss, 460–461. From Journal of the Chemical Society, Abstr. 56, 182, 1889.
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PowerF.B., TutinF. (1904) Chemical investigation of the Gymnema leaf. Pharmaceutical Journal, 19, 234–239.
7.
MhaskarK.S., CaiusJ.F. (1930) Studies of an Indian medical plant. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 16, 1–49.
8.
NoronhaAV., daP., PintoMSTV. (1952) Active principles of Gymnema sylvestre. Congreso Luso-Espanol de Farmaceuticos, 3, 197–207.
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KhastgirH.N., SenG., SudhenduK., SenG.P. (1958) Chemical investigation of the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre. Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, 35, 650–652.
10.
HooperD. (1888) Gymnemic acid. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 10, 179–198.
11.
HooperD. (1887) Isolation and antiviral activity of gymnemic acid. Pharmaceutical Journal and Transaction, 17, 867–868.
12.
YackzanK.S. (1966) Biological effects of Gymnema sylvestre fractions. The Alabama Journal of Medical Sciences, 3, 1–9.
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WarrenR.M., PfaffmannC. (1959) Suppression of sweet sensitivity by potassium gymnemate. Journal of Applied Physiology, 14, 40–42.
14.
StoecklinW., WeissE., ReichsteinT. (1967) Glycosides and aglycons. CCLXXXVIII. Gymnemic acid, the antisaccharin principle of Gymnema sylvestre. Isolation and identification. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 50, 474–490.
15.
StoecklinW. (1967) Glycosides and aglycons. CCLXXXIX. Gymnemagenin, possible structure. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 50, 491–503.
16.
RaoG.S., SinsheimerJ.E. (1968) Structure of gymnemagenin. Chemical Communications, 24, 1681–1682.
17.
StoecklinW. (1969) Glycosides and aglycons. CCCXIII. Structure and O-isopropylidene derivatives of gymnemagenin. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 52, 365–370.
18.
RaoG.S., SinsheimerJ.E. (1970) Constituents from Gymnema sylvestre leaves. VII. 3β,23:16β,28-di-O-isopropylidene derivative of gymnemageninJournal of the Chemical Society C: Organic, 13, 1823–1825.
19.
HogeR., NordmanC.E. (1974) Crystal structure of the triterpene gymnemagenin. Acta Crystallographica, Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry, 30, 1435–1440.
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KuriharaY. (1969) Antisweet activity of gymnemic acid A1 and its derivatives. Life Sciences, 8, 537–543.
21.
KuriharaK., KuriharaY., BeidlerL.M. (1969) Isolation and mechanism of taste modifiers; taste-modifying protein and gymnemic acids. Third International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste, 450–469.
22.
DateoG.P.Jr., LongL.Jr.. (1973) Gymnemic acid, the antisaccharine principle of Gymnema sylvestre. Isolation and heterogeneity of gymnemic acid A1. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 21, 899–903.
23.
StoecklinW. (1969) Chemistry and physiological properties of gymnemic acid, the antisaccharine principle of the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 17, 704–708.
24.
StoecklinW. (1968) Glycosides and aglycons. CCCIX. Gymnestrogenin, a new pentahydroxytriterpene from Gymnema sylvestre leaves. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 51, 1235–1242.
25.
SinsheimerJ.E., RaoG.S., McIlhennyH.M., SmithR.V., MaassabH.F., CochranK.W. (1968) Isolation and antiviral activity of the gymnemic acids. Experientia, 24, 302–303.
26.
SinsheimerJ.E., RaoG.S., McIlhennyH.M. (1970) Constituents from Gymnema sylvestre leaves. V. Isolation and preliminary characterization of the gymnemic acids. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 59, 622–628.
27.
SinsheimerJ.E., RaoG.S. (1970) Constituents from Gymnema sylvestre leaves. VI. Acylated genins of the gymnemic acids. Isolation and preliminary characterization. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 59, 629–632.
28.
SuzukiK., IshiharaS., UchidaM., KomodaY. (1993) Quantitative analysis of deacylgymnemic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography. Yakugaku zasshi: Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 113, 316–320.
29.
MahatoS.B. (1996) Bioactive gymnemic acids and congeners from Gymnema sylvestre. Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, 18, 649–676.
30.
LiF., LiuD. (2013) Isolation of gymnemic acid (GA) from Gymnema sylvestre. Faming Zhuanli Shenqing, CN 102911244 A 20130206.
31.
MeiselmanH.L., HalperinB.P. (1970) Human judgments of Gymnema sylvestre and sucrose mixtures. Physiology & Behavior, 5, 945–948.
32.
MeiselmanH.L., HalpernB.P. (1970) Effects of Gymnema sylvestre on complex tastes elicited by amino acids and sucrose. Physiology & Behavior, 5, 1379–1384.
33.
YackzanK.S. (1965) University of Alabama, 1964; Dissertation Abstracts, 25, 7354.
34.
YoshiokaS. (1986) Inhibitory effects of gymnemic acid and an extract from the leaves of Zizyphus jujuba on glucose absorption in the rat small intestine. Yonago Igaku Zasshi, 37, 142–154.
