title: Antihyperglycemic activity of Tarralin, an ethanolic extract of Artemisia dracunculus L.
abstract: The studies reported here were undertaken to examine the antihyperglycemic activity of an ethanolic extract of Artemisia dracunculus L., called Tarralin in diabetic and non-diabetic animals. In genetically diabetic KK-A(gamma) mice, Tarralin treatment by gavage (500 mg/kg body wt./day for 7 days) lowered elevated blood glucose levels by 24% from 479+/-25 to 352+/-16 mg/dl relative to control animals. In comparison, treatment with the known antidiabetic drugs, troglitazone (30 mg/kg body wt./day) and metformin (300 mg/kg body wt./day), decreased blood glucose concentrations by 28% and 41%, respectively. Blood insulin concentrations were reduced in the KK-A(gamma) mice by 33% with Tarralin, 48% with troglitazone and 52% with metformin. In (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, Tarralin treatment, (500 mg/kg body wt./day for 7 days), also significantly lowered blood glucose concentrations, by 20%, from 429+/-41 to 376+/-58 mg/dl relative to control. As a possible mechanism, Tarralin was shown to significantly decrease phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA expression by 28% in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In non-diabetic animals, treatment with Tarralin did not significantly alter PEPCK expression, blood glucose or insulin concentrations. The extract was also shown to increase the binding of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) to its receptor in vitro. These results indicate that Tarralin has antihyperglycemic activity and a potential role in the management of diabetic states.
authors.affiliation: Biotech Center, Cook College, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520, USA. ribnicky@aesop.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ribnicky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poulev
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watford
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Cefalu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Raskin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000187:drug effects; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C014149:phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase ferroactivator protein, rat; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase