title: Effect of catechin on carbohydrate metabolism.
abstract: Effect of varying concentrations of catechin on blood glucose levels was examined in male rats. Catechin exerted maximum hypoglycemic action at a dose of 10 mg/kg BW/day. Above this dose, the activity decreased gradually and blood sugar returned to almost normal levels at a concentration of 100 mg/kg BW/day. At optimum dose of catechin there was increase in the hepatic glycogen levels. Incorporation of [14C] glucose into glycogen in vitro was also increased. Glycogen synthase activity was found increased significantly whereas glycogen phosphorylase showed a decrease showing that hypoglycemic effect of catechin is due to increased glycogenesis and decreased glycogenolysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Trivandrum, India.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Valsa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudheesh
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Vijayalakshmi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000097:blood*; D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D002392:Catechin