Insulin like activity in (-) epicatechin.
Water extract of the bark of plant of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb is used as an antidiabetic drug in indigenous medicine in India. (-) Epicatechin, its active principle, has been found to be insulinogenic. The present in vitro study reports some insulin like activities of (-) epicatechin. Like insulin, (-) epicatechin stimulates oxygen uptake in fat cells and tissue slices of various organs, increases glycogen content of rat diaphragm in dose-dependent manner with corresponding increase in U14-C glucose uptake, and inhibits theophylline induced lipolysis in isolated fat pads in dose-dependent manner. Experiments on competitive binding of 125I-insulin and (-) epicatechin to liver cell plasma membrane indicate that insulin does not share binding site with (-) epicatechin. (-) Epicatechin at a concentration of up to 1 mM does not effect the release of glucagon from the islets in vitro. Thus, (-) epicatechin has insulinogenic as well as insulin like properties.
Ahmad
F
F
Division of Biochemistry, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
Khalid
P
P
Khan
M M
MM
Rastogi
A K
AK
Kidwai
J R
JR
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003964:Diaphragm; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D002392:Catechin; D006003:Glycogen; D005934:Glucagon; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; D005947:Glucose