Wild ginseng prevents the onset of high-fat diet induced hyperglycemia and obesity in ICR mice.
Ginseng is a shade-loving perennial herb that is cultivated mainly in Korea, Japan, and China. The ginseng root has been used as a tonic remedy, and its antidiabetic activity has been demonstrated as early as 1920s. Although wild ginseng was anecdotally thought to be superior to cultivated ginseng as far as pharmacological properties were concerned, there have been no prior reports on the antidiabetic effect of wild ginseng. In this study, we investigated the preventative anti-diabetic and anti-obese effects of wild ginseng ethanol extract (WGEE). In the preventive experiment, WGEE co-administered with a high fat diet significantly inhibited body weight gain, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and free fatty acid levels in a dose dependent manner. WGEE-treated mice at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg improved the insulin resistance index by 55% and 61% compared to the high fat diet (HFD) control, respectively. Diameters of white and brown adipocytes were also decreased by 62% and 46% in the WG500-treated group compared to those in HFD fed control mice. Taken together, WGEE has potential as a preventive agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (and possibly obesity) and deserves clinical trial in the near future.
Yun
Se Na
SN
Laboratory of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Moon
Sang Jung
SJ
Ko
Sung Kwon
SK
Im
Byung Ok
BO
Chung
Sung Hyun
SH
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000633:toxicity*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495693:Slc2a4 protein, mouse