title: Anti-diabetic effects of Sutherlandia frutescens in Wistar rats fed a diabetogenic diet.
abstract: Sutherlandia frutescens has been marked as a potential hypoglycaemic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We investigated the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens in bringing about hypoglycaemia and promoting glucose uptake in pre-diabetic rats. Crushed Sutherlandia frutescens leaves in drinking water were administered to rats fed a high fat diet. Positive control rats received only metformin. Glucose uptake experiments were undertaken using [(3)H] deoxy-glucose. Various physiological parameters were also measured. Rats receiving Sutherlandia frutescens displayed normoinsulinaemic levels, after 8 weeks medicational compliance, compared to the fatty controls. There was a significant increase in glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue, and a significant decrease in intestinal glucose uptake (p<0.001 at 60min) in rats receiving the plant extract. The Sutherlandia frutescens plant extract shows promise as a type 2 anti-diabetes medication because of its ability to normalize insulin levels and glucose uptake in peripheral tissues and suppress intestinal glucose uptake, with no weight gain noted. The exact mechanism of action and the extract's efficacy in humans need further confirmation.
authors.affiliation: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University of Port Elizabeth, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Summerstrand, South Campus, Port Elizabeth 6031, Eastern Province, South Africa. chadwick_wayne@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wayne Anthony
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Chadwick
authors.forename: Saartjie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: Maryna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van de Venter
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Louw
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Oelofsen
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000139:chemically induced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D006003:Glycogen; D008687:Metformin; D005947:Glucose