title: Hypoglycaemic effect of Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seed polysaccharide in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the hypoglycaemic activity of a new polysaccharide extracted from seed polysaccharide (ASP) was administered orally for 4 weeks and the blood glucose changes were determined in fasted rats. Plasma insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides levels were also determined. The ASP at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight (bw) produced a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats (P <0.01). In the other hand, the effect of the ASP on the plasma cholesterol were also significant in diabetic rats (P <0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant effect of ASP on plasma triglycerides in both normal and diabetic groups. In order to characterise the active principle(s), which could be responsible for the therapeutic effect, a preliminary phytochemical analysis of the ASP was performed. The monosaccharides of ASP were composed of L-Ara, D-Xyl, D-Lyx, D-Man, D-Glc, D-Gal. Their molar proportions were 1, 4.98, 1.69, 27.86, 3.76 and 13.92, respectively.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yulong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tiande
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Yunpu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides