Chapter I

Introduction

Background of the Study

One of today’s facing challenge is the growing at an alarming rate of Diabetes.

This is a certain health problem in 21st century. Due to its many complications that leads

to disability and reduced the life span of an individual it is known to be one of deadliest

disease.

Diabetes is a global public health crisis that threatens the economies of all nations.

The number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in

2014 and is considered to be the biggest epidemic in human history. Diabetes has been

seriously underrated as a global public health issue and the world can no longer ignore.

These estimates the future global burden of diabetes that are urgently needed. (Author(s)

2017)

In the Philippines, there were over 3.721.900 cases of diabetes in 2017, since it is

a serious problem invading almost all of Filipinos it has a 6.1 prevalence rate of diabetes,

which means that six million Filipinos are currently diagnosed to be diabetic. It is according

to Litonjua, an endocrinologist. Filipino’s are diagnosed with this disease because Filipino’s

love to have an extra rice or high calorie food when they are eating. Which is an indication

of a higher risk in diabetes. (Inquirer 2016)

 Herbal plants are traditionally used to cure some diseases as it is effective and low

cost. Subsequently it is scientifically proven that several medicines are found in herbal

plants.

In the researchers locality, some diabetic people used boiled herbal

plants for they believe that it can lower their blood sugar levels so that, they

used it as substitute for their maintenance medicine. Pepper elder is abundant

in their community and it is known as weed that occupies space in some empty

lots but for other people they used it as a treatment in their diabetes.

Pepper elder (Peperomia pellucida) extracts have potent bioactive

constituents such as pentadecane, hexadecane, naphthalenol

dehydrodimethyl, naphthalenol octahydrodimethyl, bisnorallocholanic acid,

cycloprop, yohimbine, heptadecane, hexadeconoic and nonadecane that can be an

anti-diabetic drug. It is according to Docking Studies on Peperomia Pellucida investigating its

contituents to be an anti-diabetic.

It is from this findings that the researchers have establish their grounds

in looking at the possibility of Anti-diabetic effect of Pepper elder (Peperomia

pellucida) on white mice. This study aims to find a way in which this unused

plant could be viable by looking into its feasibility as natural medication for

diabetes.
Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to determine the hypoglycemic

effect of pepper elder (Peperomia pellucida) on white.

Specifically, it seeks to:

Hypothesis of the Study

Significance of the Study

The results of this study will benefit to the following:

a) To the community

This will provide knowledge t

b) To the industry
 This study would help the field of medicine in pursuit of cheaper and better

alternative for insulin or any diabetes maintenance.

c) To the future researchers

It may be used as reference data in conducting new researches or in testing

the validity of other related f i n d i n g s . T h i s s t u d y w i l l a l s o s e r v e a s t h e i r

c r o s s - r e f e r e n c e t h a t w i l l g i v e them a background or an overview.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study would only focus on the verification of the Pepper elder

(Peperomia pellucida) ability to reduce glucose level on white mice (Mus

musculus). The experiment will be conducted in the laboratory room of Taft

National High School.

Other types of mice such as house mouse, murinae and other kinds of mouse are

not included in the study. Other kinds of plants are also not included in the study.