title: A tea/vanadate decoction delivered orally over 14 months to diabetic rats induces long-term glycemic stability without organ toxicity.
abstract: Vanadium can induce potent hypoglycemic effects in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus animals, but toxic adverse effects have inhibited the translation of these findings. Administration of vanadate in a black tea decoction has shown impressive hypoglycemic effects without evidence of toxicity in short-term studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic action and the toxic adverse effects of a tea/vanadate (T/V) decoction in diabetic rats over a 14-month treatment period. Streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus rats were orally gavaged with 40 mg sodium vanadate in a black tea decoction only when blood glucose levels were greater than 10 mmol/L. Glycemic status and liver and kidney function were monitored over 14 months. All of the diabetic rats in this treatment group (n = 25) required treatment with the T/V decoction at the start of the study to reduce blood glucose levels to less than 10 mmol/L. Diarrhea was uncommon among the T/V-treated animals during the first week of T/V treatment and was absent thereafter. There was no evidence of liver or kidney dysfunction or injury. From 2 to 6 months, fewer animals required the T/V treatment to maintain their blood glucose levels. After 9 months of treatment, none of the diabetic animals required any T/V to maintain their blood glucose levels at less than 10 mmol/L. Oral administration of a T/V decoction provides safe, long-acting hypoglycemic effects in type 1 diabetes mellitus rats. The typical glycemic signs of diabetes were absent for the last 5 months of the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E OW3.
authors.forename: Tod A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Clayton E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Heyliger
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopilas
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Edel
authors.forename: Asad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Junaid
authors.forename: Floribeth
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Donald D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thliveris
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: Hae K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Grant N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Pierce
mesh_terms: D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013662:Tea / Q000633:toxicity; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014638:Vanadates / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013662:Tea; D014280:Triglycerides; D014638:Vanadates