title: Characterization of the anti-diabetic and antioxidant effects of rehmannia glutinosa in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of Rehmannia glutinosa individually as well as in combination with the oral hypoglycemic agent, metformin in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. R. glutinosa ethanolic extract was prepared and the constituents were characterized using fractionation by column chromatography, followed by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. STZ (65 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to induce diabetes in Wistar rats. The diabetic rats were divided into the following groups (each n = 6) and received the respective treatments for 30 days: (1) metformin (500 mg/kg), (2) R. glutinosa (200 mg/kg), (3) metformin (500 mg/kg) and R. glutinosa (200 mg/kg) and (4) diabetic control (DC). A reduction in plasma glucose levels caused by the herb was not as significant as metformin compared to the diabetic control (p < 0.05). However, R. glutinosa-treated group showed reductions in plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels compared to the diabetic controls (p < 0.05) as well as metformin-treated group (p < 0.05). An enhanced reduction in CRP concentration was observed in the group receiving both herb and metformin compared to metformin-treated group (p < 0.05). Reduction in CRP levels suggests an anti-inflammatory activity of the herb.
authors.affiliation: Food Science & Technology Programme, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore.
authors.forename: Viduranga Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Waisundara
authors.forename: Meiqi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Dejian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Benny Kwong-Huat
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D032267:Rehmannia / Q000737:chemistry*; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013311:Streptozocin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein