Prevention of type 2 diabetes induced by high fat diet in the C57BL/6J mouse by two medicinal plants used in traditional treatment of diabetes in the east of Algeria.
OBJECTIVE
The preventive effect of the hydro-alcoholic extracts of Artemisia herba-alba Asso (AHA), and Centaurium erythraea Rafn (CE), two medicinal plants used in traditional treatment of diabetes in the north-eastern Algeria, were evaluated in animal models of type 2 diabetic induced with a standardised high fat diet (HFD).


METHODS
Plant extracts were administered orally by gavage at a dose of 2g/kg bodyweight daily for 20 weeks to male C57BL/6J mice fed HFD. Animals were weighed and plasma glucose measured weekly and insulin at the end of study using standard ELISA methods.


RESULTS
After 6 weeks, blood glucose levels increased in HFD control mice. At end of study (20 weeks) in groups treated with AHA or CE extracts vs. HFD control group there was a significant reduction in mean (+/-SD) fasting blood glucose (respectively 108.0+/-42.0 and 120.4+/-45.1 vs. 183.1+/-19.1mg/dl, p<0.05), triglyceride concentrations (26.9+/-6.7 and 27.9+/-17.8 vs. 48.9+/-12.1mg/dl, p<0.05) and serum insulin levels (1.1+/-1.0 and 0.6+/-0.7 vs. 3.1+/-1.8 ng/ml, p<0.05). Plant extracts also markedly reduced insulin resistance as measured by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) compared to HFD controls (AHA: 4.4+/-5.3, CE: 3.0+/-3.3 vs. HFD control 38.3+/-26.6, p<0.05). The plant extracts had no effect on calorie intake or body weight.


CONCLUSIONS
AHA had been shown to have a hypoglycaemic effect in diabetes but this is the first demonstration of a preventive effect of AHA and CE on HFD-induced diabetes.
Hamza
Nawel
N
Département de Pharmacologie, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France.
Berke
Bénédicte
B
Cheze
Catherine
C
Agli
Abdel-Nacer
AN
Robinson
Philip
P
Gin
Henri
H
Moore
Nicholas
N
D000462:Algeria; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D029966:Centaurium; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D005223:Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011897:Random Allocation; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D005223:Fats; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides