Contribution to understanding the acute hypoglycemic effect of traditionally used Eysenhardtia officinalis R.Cruz & M.Sousa

[Display omitted] •The Eysenhardtia officinalis bark is traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes in the Hidalgo state of Mexico.•The ethanol-water extract of E. officinalis contains flavonoids; vitexin was isolated and identified.•E. officinalis did not exert an acute toxic effect and could manage fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia.•The hypoglycemic mechanisms identified were the gluconeogenesis inhibition and an increase in insulin sensitivity.•E. officinalis inhibited gluconeogenic rate-limiting enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase.