title: Antihyperglycemic effects of total ginsenosides from leaves and stem of Panax ginseng.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The antihyperglycemic effects of the total ginsenosides in Chinese ginseng (TGCG), extracted from leaves and the stem, were evaluated in diabetic C57BL/6J ob/ob mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animals received daily intraperitoneal injections of TGCG (100 and 200 mg/kg) or oral administration (150 and 300 mg/kg) for 12 d. Fasting blood glucose levels and body weight were measured after fasting the animals for 4 h. Peripheral glucose use was also measured using an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the injection group, a high dose of TGCG (200 mg/kg) significantly lowered the fasting blood glucose levels in ob/ob mice on d 12 (153+/-16 mg/dL vs 203+/-9.8 mg/dL, P<0.01, compared to vehicle-treated group). In the oral group, blood glucose decreased notably with a dose of TGCG (300 mg/kg) on d 12 (169.1+/-12.6 mg/dL vs 211.6+/-13.8 mg/dL, P<0.05, compared to the vehicle-treated group). Glucose tolerance was also improved markedly in ob/ob mice. Furthermore, a significant reduction in bodyweight (P<0.05) was observed after 12 d of TGCG (300 mg/kg) treatment in mice from the oral group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that in a diabetic ob/ob mouse model TGCG was endowed with significant anti-hyperglycemic and anti-obesity properties. Therefore, the total ginsenosides extracted from Chinese ginseng leaves and the stem may have some potential for treating diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research;the Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Jing-tian
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Chong-zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: An-bao
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basila
authors.forename: Chun-su
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood*; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D036145:Ginsenosides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents