Inhibition of α-glucosidase and glucose intestinal absorption by Thymelaea hirsuta fractions.
BACKGROUND
Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. (Thymelaeaceae) is a medicinal plant used in Morocco to treat diabetes. In previous studies T. hirsuta has shown a potent antihyperglycemic effect. Our aim was to study the effect of the plant on α-glucosidase inhibition and intestinal glucose absorption.


METHODS
Five fractions of T. hirsuta were tested, in vitro, in vivo and, in situ, to elucidate the inhibition of α-glucosidase and intestinal glucose uptake.


RESULTS
The fractions induced, in vitro, a significant inhibition of α-glucosidase. The ethyl acetate fraction (EATh) had high activity and its inhibition mode was non-competitive. The EATh at 50 and 100 mg/kg doses, decreased significantly, in vivo, the postprandial hyperglycemia after sucrose loading in normal and diabetic mice. Moreover, 50 mg/kg of EATh significantly decreased intestinal glucose uptake, in situ, in rats.


CONCLUSIONS
The antihyperglycemic effect of T. hirsuta can be explained, in part, by the inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidase and intestinal glucose absorption.
Laboratory of Physiology and Ethnopharmacology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohamed Ist, Oujda, Morocco.
Sanae
S
Abid
Abdenbi
A
Lekchiri
Hassane
H
Mekhfi
Abderrahim
A
Ziyyat
Abdekhaleq
A
Legssyer
Mohamed
M
Aziz
Mohamed
M
Bnouham
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029645:Thymelaeaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000737:chemistry*
D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D005947:Glucose
Thymelaea hirsuta; diabetes; intestinal glucose absorption; streptozotocin; α-glucosidase inhibitor; 糖尿病，肠道葡萄糖吸收，链脲霉素，毛花瑞香，α-糖甙酶抑制作用