Antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of extracts from Potentilla discolor Bunge on diabetic rats induced by high fat diet and streptozotocin.
OBJECTIVE
Potentilla discolor Bunge, commonly found at the north temperate and boreal zone, has been used for diabetes in China for a long time. Flavonoids and triterpenoids are two major types of compounds in P. discolor. This study was designed primarily to investigate the effects of total flavonoids extract (TFE) and total triterpenoids extract (TTE) of P. discolor Bunge on blood glucose, lipid profiles and antioxidant parameters on diabetic rats induced by high fat diet and streptozotocin.


METHODS
High fat diet-fed and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were treated with the TFE and TTE for 15 days, respectively. A range of parameters were tested including fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum insulin (SI), blood lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glycosylated serum protein (GSP), and nitric oxide (NO).


RESULTS
Diabetic rats treated with TFE or TTE had decreased concentration of FBG and GSP compared with the control group. Meanwhile, the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) in the TFE or TTE treated diabetic rats were lower, and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) level was higher than in the control diabetic rats. Furthermore, the extracts treatment decreased the MDA and NO level, while increased SOD and GSH levels in diabetic rats. Histopathologic examination also showed that the extracts have protective effects on β-cells in diabetic rats which are supported by the increase of SI.


CONCLUSIONS
All these experimental results highlighted the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of the two extracts from Potentilla discolor Bunge on diabetes and its complications, possibly through a strong antioxidant activity and a protective action on β-cells.
Zhang
Li
L
Department of Chinese Materia Medica Analysis, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China.
Yang
Jie
J
Chen
Xiao-qing
XQ
Zan
Ke
K
Wen
Xiao-dong
XD
Chen
Hong
H
Wang
Qiang
Q
Lai
Mao-xiang
MX
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D031987:Potentilla; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000093422:Glycated Serum Proteins
D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D000093422:Glycated Serum Proteins