title: Hypoglycemic effect of Du-zhong (Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.) leaves in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The current study investigated whether Du-zhong (Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.) leaves could improve the hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a non-diabetic group (NDM), diabetic group (DM), diabetic group supplemented with powdered Du-zhong leaves (DM-PDZ) and diabetic group supplemented with a water extract of the powdered Du-zhong leaves (DM-WDZ). Diabetes was induced by injecting STZ (70 mg/kg B.W., i.p.). The powdered Du-zhong leaves or its powdered water extract was add to a standard diet based on 1% dried Du-zhong leaves (1 g PDZ/100 g diet and 0.187 g WDZ/100 g diet, respectively) for 3 weeks. Body weight was significantly higher in both types of Du-zhong leaves supplemented groups than in the DM group. The blood glucose levels were significantly lower in the DM-PDZ and DM-WDZ groups than in the DM group (20.05+/-0.88 and 18.96+/-1.23 mmol/l versus 24.42+/-1.07 mmol/l, P<0.05), whereas the plasma insulin and C-peptide levels were significantly higher in the PDZ and WDZ supplemented groups than in the DM group (7.45+/-0.27 and 7.62+/-0.69 microl U/ml versus 3.75+/-0.27 microl U/ml for the plasma insulin, and 224.52+/-14.6 and 239.76+/-15.52 pmol/l versus 166.5+/-10.4 pmol/l for the plasma C-peptide, respectively, P<0.05). The supplementation of PDZ and WDZ also resulted in lower plasma urea nitrogen levels compared to the DM group. Du-zhong leaves supplement seemed to be helpful to preserve the normal histological appearance of pancreatic islets as well as to preserve insulin-positive beta-cells but it did not reverse the effect of STZ to a great extent. Accordingly, the reduction in plasma glucose by the powdered Du-zhong leaves and its water extract is quite small but significant, nevertheless, this was occurred with simultaneous the increase in plasma insulin and C-peptide. They improved hyperglycemia and seemingly enhance the function of pancreatic beta-cells in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Food and Bio-Industry Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung-Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soo-Yeul
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sun Ae
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kwan-Kyu
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Un Ju
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Hae-Mo
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Myung-Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D031283:Eucommiaceae; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002096:C-Peptide; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D014508:Urea