title: Hypoglycemic effect of Belamcanda chinensis leaf extract in normal and STZ-induced diabetic rats and its potential active faction.
abstract: Belamcanda chinensis (Iridaceae) belongs to the family of iridaceae and its rhizoma has been widely used for the treatment of throat ailment. Here we report a new pharmacological activity of B. chinensis leaf extract (BCL), that is, the hypoglycemic effect in normal and STZ-induced diabetic rats. Animals either healthy or STZ-induced diabetic show significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels after treatment with BCL. The serum insulin concentration in normal rats is also enhanced. Additionally, the increase in blood glucose levels after administration of various carbohydrates in normal rats is significantly decreased and the oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) of STZ-induced diabetic rats is largely improved by BCL treatment. However, co-administration of BCL with Nifedipine, a Ca(2+) ion channel blocker, or Nicorandil, an ATP-sensitive K(+) ion channel opener thoroughly abolishes the hypoglycemic effect of BCL. HPLC analysis and compound identification showed that several isoflavone glycosides with antidiabetic activities were contained in BCL while pharmacological experiment showed that the polysaccharide fraction of BCL had no significant hypoglycemic effect on normal rats. Therefore, the isoflavone glycosides but not polysaccharides might be the active fraction of BCL in diabetes treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, PR China.
authors.forename: Chongming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xinyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: Linghui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Rongji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D027621:Iridaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D020108:Nicorandil / Q000494:pharmacology; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D015220:Calcium Channels; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D015221:Potassium Channels; D020108:Nicorandil; D013311:Streptozocin; D009543:Nifedipine; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium