title: Anti-diabetic effects of Centratherum anthelminticum seeds methanolic fraction on pancreatic cells, β-TC6 and its alleviating role in type 2 diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Seeds of Centratherum anthelminticum (Asteraceae) have been popularly used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes and skin disorders. Folk medicine from Rayalaseema (Andhra Pradesh, India) reported wide spread usage in diabetes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the hypoglycemic properties and mechanism of the methanolic fraction of C. anthelminticum seeds (CAMFs) on mouse β-TC6 pancreatic cell line and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat models.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the crude methanolic fraction of C. anthelminticum seeds (CAMFs) on β-TC6 cell line and confirmed its effects on type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats to understand its mechanism in managing diabetes mellitus. CAMFs were initially tested on β-TC6 cells for cytotoxicity, 2-NBDG glucose uptake, insulin secretion and glucose transporter (GLUT-1, 2 and 4) protein expression. Furthermore, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic and STZ-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic rats were intraperitoneally (i.p) injected or administered orally with CAMFs daily for 28 days. The effect of CAMFs on blood glucose and insulin levels was subsequently evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cell line studies, CAMFs showed non-cytotoxic effect on β-TC6 cell proliferation compared to untreated control cells at 50 μg/ml. CAMFs increased glucose uptake and insulin secretion dose-dependently by up-regulating GLUT-2 and GLUT-4 expression in these cells. Further in vivo studies on streptozotocin induced diabetic rat models revealed that CAMFs significantly reduced hyperglycemia by augmenting insulin secretion in type 2 diabetic rats. However, CAMFs displayed less significant effects on type 1 diabetic rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAMFs demonstrated anti-diabetic potential on β-TC6 cells and type 2 diabetic rat model, plausibly through enhancing glucose uptake and insulin secretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Aditya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arya
authors.forename: Chung Yeng
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Looi
authors.forename: Shiau Chuen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: Mohd Rais
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: Mustafa Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mohd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019659:Asteraceae; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts