title: Hypoglycemic effect of Egyptian Morus alba root bark extract: effect on diabetes and lipid peroxidation of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The hypoglycemic activity of the flavonoids rich fraction of 70% alcohol extract of the Egyptian Morus alba root bark (MRBF-3) was evaluated after its oral administration to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by injection of 60 mg kg(-1) i.p. The administration of MRBF-3 to streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats for 10 days in a dose of 200 and 400 mg kg(-1)day(-1) was not significant. However, administration of MRBF-3 for 10 days (600 mg kg(-1)day(-1)) significantly reduced the amount of the glucose from control level (379+/-9 mg/dl) to a lower level (155+/-8 mg/dl) and significantly increased the insulin level from control (10.8+/-0.3 microU/ml) to a high level (15.6+/-0.3 microU/ml). The measurement of produced lipid peroxides (expressed as the amount of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substance, nmol TBARS/ml serum) indicated antiperoxidative activity of MRBF-3. The oral administration of MRBF-3 to STZ-diabetic rats significantly decreased the lipid peroxides from 6.3+/-0.8 to 5.1+/-0.7 nmol TBARS/ml serum. The phytochemical investigation of MRBF-3 resulted in the isolation of four hydrophobic flavonoids with one or two isoprenoid groups (log P=5-9): morusin, cyclomorusin, neocyclomorusin, and kuwanon E, a 2-arylbenzofuran, moracin M, and two triterpenes, betulinic acid and methyl ursolate. The data obtained from this study revealed that MRBF-3 may protect pancreatic beta cells from degeneration and diminish lipid peroxidation. However, this is the first biological screening of the Egyptian Morus alba root bark; further future merit studies including clinical study will be necessary in order to confirm the results obtained from this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt. nasersingab@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abdel Nasser B
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Singab
authors.forename: Hesham A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Beshbishy
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yonekawa
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004534:Egypt; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D031625:Morus / Q000737:chemistry*; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances