title: Antidiabetic effects of malonyl ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on type 2 diabetic rats induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) has been recorded to treat 'Xiao-ke' (emaciation and thirst) symptom in many ancient Chinese medical literatures (such as 'Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing') for thousands of years. 'Xiao-ke' symptom, in general, indicates diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Malonyl ginsenosides (MGR) are natural ginsenosides which exist in both fresh and air-dried ginseng. The objective of this study is to determine the antidiabetic function of MGR on type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  High fat diet-fed and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were treated with 50 and 100mg/kg/d of MGR or vehicle for 3 weeks. The effects of MGR on fasting blood glucose (FBG), intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), serum insulin (SI), insulin tolerance test (ITT), body weight, total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) levels in type 2 diabetic rats were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3 weeks of treatment, MGR administration showed significantly lower FBG levels compared to the diabetic control group. In glucose tolerance test, IPGTT data showed that both MGR 50 and 100mg/kg groups significantly increased the glucose disposal after glucose load. The ITT also showed improvement of insulin sensitivity during 120 min of insulin treatment. In addition, MGR reduced TG and TC contents while showed no effect on body weight in diabetic rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study suggest that MGR can alleviate hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia and insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural Modernization, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Guang-zhi
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Chang-chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ruan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000379:methods; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D036145:Ginsenosides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts