title: Antihyperlipidaemic and antioxidant effect of the total flavonoids in Selaginella tamariscina (Beauv.) Spring in diabetic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the antidiabetic, antihyperlipidaemic and antioxidant activity of total flavonoids in Selaginella tamariscina (Beauv.) Spring (TFST) in a mouse model of diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal mice, mice fed with a high-fat emulsion diet and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were treated with TFST for 6 weeks. Serum glucose, insulin and lipid, hepatic steatosis, production of the protein visfatin and antioxidant indices were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TFST significantly decreased the concentration of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, while it increased the levels of insulin and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol in diabetic mice. TFST also improved the results of the oral glucose tolerance test to a certain degree. Furthermore, both the free fatty acid levels in the liver and hepatic steatosis were ameliorated by TFST treatment. These changes may be be associated with decreased production of visfatin. Administration of TFST also significantly decreased the levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase and increased the content of glutathione and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase in the liver. No change in blood glucose levels were observed in the normal mice treated with TFST.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TFST showed an excellent effect in reducing the high blood glucose level but had no effect on normal blood glucose level. The antidiabetic activity of TFST could be explained by its antioxidant and antihyperlipidaemic activity, which finally elevated the insulin sensitivity of liver.
authors.affiliation: Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-ke
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Wei-wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cheng-fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yong-yong
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ying-ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Qing-wei
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Zhao-yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ai-she
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wei-sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D032503:Selaginellaceae / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D005419:Flavonoids; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase