Antidiabetic effect of total saponins from Entada phaseoloides (L.) Merr. in type 2 diabetic rats.
BACKGROUND
The seed of Entada phaseoloides (L.) Merr. (Entada phaseoloides) has been long used as an effective herb for the treatment of Diabetes mellitus by Dai people, one of the Chinese ethnic minorities. Saponin is an abundant type of secondary metabolic products in the seed of this plant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of total saponins from Entada phaseoloides (TSEP) in experimental type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats.


METHODS
T2DM rats were induced by high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ). Then different oral doses of TSEP (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) were administrated to T2DM rats for 21 days. For comparison, a standard antidiabetic drug, metformin (200 mg/kg), was used as a positive control drug. Then the relative biochemical analysis and histopathological examination were made to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of TSEP.


RESULTS
TSEP dramatically reduced fasted blood glucose and serum insulin levels and alleviates hyperglycemia associated oxidative stress in T2DM rats. Moreover, a significantly hypolipidemic effect and an improvement in tissue steatosis could be observed after TSEP administration. Further investigations revealed a possible anti-inflammation effect of TSEP by examining serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The effects of TSEP exhibited a dose-dependent manner and were comparable to metformin.


CONCLUSIONS
Our present study demonstrates both hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of TSEP in T2DM rats, which support its antidiabetic property. This work also implies a possibility that TSEP exerts its therapeutic effect through repressing chronic inflammation responses.
College of Pharmacy, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, PR China.
Tao
T
Zheng
Guangwen
G
Shu
Zhanzhan
Z
Yang
Shasha
S
Mo
Yin
Y
Zhao
Zhinan
Z
Mei
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005215:Fasting; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012639:Seeds; D013311:Streptozocin
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; D013311:Streptozocin; D008687:Metformin