Preventive and curative effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. seeds in C57BL/6J models of type 2 diabetes induced by high-fat diet.
BACKGROUND
Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TFG) is traditionally used to treat diabetes in North Africa. we therefore tested the effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of TFG seeds in a C57/BL6J mouse model of diabetes induced by a standardised high-fat diet (HFD).


METHODS
Plant extracts (2 g/kg daily) were administered orally by gavage at the start of HFD, or after confirmation of established diabetes (17th week), for 20 or 18 weeks, respectively, to male C57BL/6J mice. Animals were weighed; food intake and plasma glucose, lipid profile, insulin and insulin resistance were measured.


RESULTS
TFG extracts opposed the development of diabetes: compared with untreated HFD mice, TFG-treated HFD mice had lower mean (± SD) plasma glucose (129.3 ± 39.4 vs. 183.1 ± 19.1mg/dL, p<0.05), plasma insulin (1.3 ± 0.8 vs. 3.1 ± 1.8 ng/mL, p<0.05) and triglycerides (18.9 ± 12.9 vs. 48.9 ± 12.1mg/dL, p<0.05), and less insulin resistance as estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA: 9.7 ± 11.1 vs. 38.3 ± 26.6, p<0.05). In mice with established diabetes, TFG reduced fasting plasma glucose (170.4 ± 24.1 vs. 229.0 ± 20.8 mg/dL, p<0.05), plasma insulin (1.7 ± 1.3 vs. 3.3 ± 14.3 ng/mL, p<0.05) and insulin resistance (HOMA: TFG: 19.2 ± 15.7 vs. HFD control: 38.5 ± 30.3, p<0.05). In addition, administration of TFG extract also caused significant reduction in triglycerides (17.9 ± 9.7 vs. 62.8 ± 18.3 mg/dL, p<0.05) and total cholesterol (1.30 ± 0.20 vs. 1.80 ± 1.10 g/L, p<0.05), and an increase in HDL-cholesterol (1.6 ± 0.2 vs. 1.2 ± 0.1 g/L). The plant extract had no effect on calorie intake or body weight.


CONCLUSIONS
TFG extract opposed the development of experimental HFD diabetes in mice, and had an anti-diabetic effect in mice with established diabetes.
Département de Pharmacologie, Université Bordeaux Segalen, Bordeaux, France.
Nawel
N
Hamza
Bénédicte
B
Berke
Catherine
C
Cheze
Raphaële
R
Le Garrec
Anwar
A
Umar
Abdel-Nacer
AN
Agli
Regis
R
Lassalle
Jérémy
J
Jové
Henri
H
Gin
Nicholas
N
Moore
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012639:Seeds; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D029910:Trigonella
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol