title: Ethanolic extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves partially attenuates streptozotocin-induced alterations in glycogen content and carbohydrate metabolism in rats.
abstract: Ocimum sanctum (OS) has been mentioned in Indian system of traditional medicine to be of value in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. We have previously shown that OS shows a dose-dependent hypoglycemic effect and prevented rise in plasma glucose in normal rats. It also showed significant antihyperglycemic effect in STZ-induced diabetes. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of OS on three important enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism [glucokinase (GK) (EC 2.7.1.2), hexokinase (HK) (EC 2.7.1.1) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) (EC 2.7.1.11)] along with glycogen content of insulin-dependent (skeletal muscle and liver) and insulin-independent tissues (kidneys and brain) in STZ (65 mg/kg) induced model of diabetes for 30 days. Administration of OS extract 200mg/kg for 30 days led to decrease in plasma glucose levels by approximately 9.06 and 26.4% on 15th and 30th day of the experiment. Liver and two-kidney weight expressed as percentage of body weight significantly increased in diabetics (P<0.0005) versus normal controls. OS significantly decreased renal (P<0.0005) but not liver weight. Renal glycogen content increased by over 10 folds while hepatic and skeletal muscle glycogen content decreased by 75 and 68% in diabetic controls versus controls. OS did not affect glycogen content in any tissue. Activity of HK, GK and PFK in diabetic controls was 35, 50 and 60% of the controls and OS partially corrected this alteration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110049, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vats
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Grover
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005941:Glucokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D031339:Ocimum; D009928:Organ Specificity; D025221:Phosphofructokinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013311:Streptozocin; D006003:Glycogen; D025221:Phosphofructokinases; D006593:Hexokinase; D005941:Glucokinase