title: Antihyperglycemic effect of puerarin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The antihyperglycemic action of puerarin, purified from the roots of Pueraria lobata, was investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-diabetic rats). Bolus intravenous injection of puerarin decreased the plasma glucose concentrations in a dose-dependent manner in STZ-diabetic rats. Similar treatment with puerarin also decreased the plasma glucose in normal rats, although the effect was not as great as that in STZ-diabetic rats. Puerarin at the effective dose (15.0 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the increase of plasma glucose induced by an intravenous glucose challenge test in normal rats. In the isolated soleus muscle of STZ-diabetic rats, puerarin enhanced the uptake of radioactive glucose in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the mRNA and protein levels of the subtype 4 form of glucose transporter (GLUT4) in soleus muscle were increased after repeated intravenous administration of puerarin in STZ-diabetic rats for 3 days. These results suggest that puerarin can increase the glucose utilization to lower plasma glucose in diabetic rats lacking insulin.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan 110-31.
authors.forename: Feng-Lin
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: I-Min
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Daih-Huang
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Wang-Chuan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Juei-Tang
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007529:Isoflavones; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D029908:Pueraria / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D007529:Isoflavones; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat; D013311:Streptozocin; D005947:Glucose; C033607:puerarin