IDENTIFICATION OF 3-HYDROXY-3-METHYLGLUTARIC ACID (HMG) AS A HYPOGLYCEMIC PRINCIPLE OF SPANISH MOSS (TILLANDSIA USNEOIDES)

Bioactivity-directed fractionation, using brine shrimp lethality and m urine hypoglycemia, of an ethanol extract prepared from Tillandsia usn eoides, led to the isolation of four apparently bioactive compounds fr om the water-soluble fraction. The compounds were identified as citric acid, succinic acid, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid (HMG), and hoxy- 5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavone-7-O-beta-D-glucoside The brine shrimp lethali ty of the acids was simply due to acidity; however, HMG elicited signi ficant hypoglycemic responses in fasting normal mice. Ethyl and methyl esters of citric acid were prepared and tested in the murine hypoglyc emic assay. Five of the predominant sugars were identified by tie. Fre e thymidine was also isolated. Further evaluation of HMG and other pot ential inhibitors of HMG CoA lyase, in the treatment of symptoms of di abetes mellitus, is suggested.