Blood glucose- and triglyceride-lowering effect of trans-dehydrocrotonin, a diterpene from Croton cajucara Benth., in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess in rats the antidiabetic effects (i.e. reduction of hyperglycaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia) of trans-dehydrocrotonin (t-DCTN), a bioactive diterpene isolated from the popular medicinal plant Croton cajucara.


METHODS
Hyperglycaemia was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and hypertriglyceridaemia by oral administration of ethanol in rats. The blood glucose levels were measured by the glucose oxidase method using commercially available enzyme kits.


RESULTS
Treating rats with t-DCTN (50 mg/kg) significantly reduced STZ-induced increases in blood glucose levels as well as ethanol-induced increases in blood triglycerides.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that t-DCTN has an antidiabetic potential that warrants further research on its mechanism and clinical significance.
Silva
R M
RM
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Santos
F A
FA
Rao
V S
VS
Maciel
M A
MA
Pinto
A C
AC
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D029802:Croton; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D013311:Streptozocin; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004224:Diterpenes; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; C103060:dehydrocrotonin; D013311:Streptozocin; D002784:Cholesterol