title: Alteration of hepatic glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice by berberine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus (DM), a chronic disease, has been increasing and subsequently devastates the quality of life and economic status of the patients. Oxidative stress participates in development and progression of diabetes, in which levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were changed in diabetic mice. Berberine has been widely used as an alternative medicine and proved to be effective for treatment of DM and dyslipidemia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Impacts of berberine on regulation of GPx and SOD messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and glutathione (GSH) content were examined in diabetic mice to clarify its antioxidative stress potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  Noninsulin-dependent diabetes was induced in mice by a single intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection. Diabetic mice were daily treated with metformin (100 mg/kg/d) or berberine (200 mg/kg/d) for 2 weeks. The fasting blood glucose and GSH content were monitored. GPx and SOD mRNA expression were semi-quantified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Berberine showed the same hypoglycemic potential as metformin, a hypoglycemic drug. Interestingly, berberine did not change levels of GPx, copper-zinc SOD (CuZn-SOD), and manganese SOD (Mn-SOD) mRNA in the normal mice but significantly recovered these levels in the diabetic mice to nearly the same levels as the normal. The GSH contents, including total GSH and reduced/oxidized GSH contents, were restored to the normal level by berberine, corresponded to GPx levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Berberine conveyed antioxidative effect via down- and up-regulation of GPx and CuZn-SOD expression, respectively. Therefore, use of berberine as a hypoglycemic compound for alternative treatment of DM could bring extra-beneficent consequence according to its antioxidative stress.
authors: Academic Office for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Research University-Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors: Thinnakorn
authors: T
authors: Lao-ong
authors: Waranya
authors: W
authors: Chatuphonprasert
authors: Nobuo
authors: N
authors: Nemoto
authors: Kanokwan
authors: K
authors: Jarukamjorn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001599:Berberine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D013311:Streptozocin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001599:Berberine; D013311:Streptozocin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione