Effects of okchun-san, a herbal formulation, on blood glucose levels and body weight in a model of Type 2 diabetes.
The effective control of blood glucose is the key to preventing or reversing diabetic complications. In this study, we examined the effects of Okchun-San (OCS), a Korean herbal medicine formula, on the blood glucose levels in diabetic C57BL/KsJ db/db mice. Herbal medicines were prepared from dried herbs by adding Coicis semen (OCS-C) or Oryzae semen (OCS-O). The experimental animals were divided into a control group and three sample groups; the sample groups received OCS-C (200 mg/kg), OCS-O (200 mg/kg), or acarbose (5 mg/kg) orally once a day for 12 days. On days 5 and 12, the fasting blood glucose levels of vehicle-treated db/db mice were significantly higher than day 0, while those of OCS-C, OCS-O, or acarbose-treated mice had not increased compared to the control group (p<0.01). During intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), OCS-C group showed improved glucose sensitivity compared to the control group. These results suggest that OCS-C can be useful as an anti-diabetic therapy for Type 2 diabetic patients by lowering the blood glucose level.
Chang
Mun Seog
MS
Department of Prescriptionology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
Oh
Myung Sook
MS
Kim
Do Rim
DR
Jung
Kye Jin
KJ
Park
Sunmin
S
Choi
Soo Bong
SB
Ko
Byoung-Seob
BS
Park
Seong Kyu
SK
D020909:Acarbose / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013997:Time Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; C521382:okchun-san; D020909:Acarbose