title: Effect of a deacyl gymnemic acid on glucose homeostasis & metabolic parameters in a rat model of metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic syndrome (MS) comprises several cardio-metabolic risk factors, which include obesity, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and decreased HDL cholesterol. Leaf extract of Gymnema sylvestre has been shown to possess glucose lowering activity in animal models. This study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of deacyl gymnemic acid (DAGA), active constituent of G. sylvestre, in a rat model of MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six groups consisting of six wistar rats in each, were studied. Group I received the normal diet, while the remaining five groups received high fructose diet (HFD ) for 20 days to induce MS. HFD was continued in these five groups for the next 20 days along with group II received vehicle solution, group III received pioglitazone and groups IV- VI received DAGA in variable doses. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured using tail-cuff method. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was done at baseline and at days 20 and 40. Blood samples were collected for glucose, insulin and lipid profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of HFD for 20 days resulted in weight gain (>10%), increase in SBP, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and triglycerides fulfilling the criteria for MS. Administration of DAGA (200 mg/kg) reduced SBP and significantly improved the FPG and HOMA-IR (homeostatis model assessment-insulin resistance) with modest improvement in lipid profile without decrease in body weight similar to pioglitazone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that DAGA decreases SBP and improves parameters of glucose-insulin homeostasis in a rat model of MS induced by HFD. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Shobhit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhansali
authors.forename: Nusrat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shafiq
authors.forename: Promila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pandhi
authors.forename: Amrit Pal
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Inderjeet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Pawan Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sadhna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malhotra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006706:Homeostasis; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013599:Systole; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000737:chemistry; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D012503:Saponins; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014280:Triglycerides; D014315:Triterpenes; D005632:Fructose; C007898:gymnemic acid; D005947:Glucose; D000077205:Pioglitazone