Effect of Chinese prescription Kangen-karyu on lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.
OBJECTIVE
Chinese prescription Kangen-karyu is clinically used as a treatment for cardiovascular diseases, and we have reported the beneficial effects on chemically induced hyperlipidemic animal models. The present study was investigated to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of Kangen-karyu in type 2 diabetic db/db mice which has not been explored yet.


METHODS
Male db/db mice were divided into three groups, vehicle (control), Kangen-karyu 100, or 200 mg/kg body weight/day, and orally administered for 5 weeks every day. Age-matched non-diabetic m/m mice were used as a normal group.


RESULTS
Serum triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol levels in db/db mice were increased compared with those of m/m mice. However, the administration of Kangen-karyu reduced hyperlipidemia in db/db mice through a decline in the serum levels of TG and total cholesterol. The hepatic TG and total cholesterol levels of db/db mice were markedly higher than those of m/m mice, but these elevated lipid levels were significantly reduced by 200 mg/kg Kangen-karyu administration. Also, oil red O staining showed that the increased lipid deposition level in the liver of db/db control mice was improved by Kangen-karyu administration. The expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 in the liver of db/db mice was significantly down-regulated by the administration of Kangen-karyu at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight. Kangen-karyu caused a slight elevation in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha in the liver of db/db mice.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides scientific evidence that Kangen-karyu improves hyperlipidemia and lipid deposition via the regulation of hepatic SREBP-1 expression in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.
Yamabe
Noriko
N
Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
Kim
Hyun Young
HY
Kang
Ki Sung
KS
Zhao
Qi
Q
Matsumoto
Kinzo
K
Yokozawa
Takako
T
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; C468270:Kangen-karyu; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C497388:Srebf1 protein, mouse; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol