title: Effect of Ganoderma lucidum hydroalcoholic extract on insulin release in rat-isolated pancreatic islets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ganoderma Lucidum (G. Lucidum) has been suggested to increase serum insulin level. This study was undertaken to investigate its direct effect on the islets of Langerhans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male albino Wistar rats were anesthetized and the islets were isolated after digestion of the pancreas with collagenase. The islets were incubated for 60 min in Krebs bicarbonate buffer containing 3 or 10 mM glucose in the presence of hydroalcoholic extract of G. Lucidum (1 mg/ml), 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, 100 µM) or vehicle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure of islets to the extract increased insulin secretion at basal (3 mM) glucose concentration. Increase of glucose concentration to 10 mM resulted in a significant increase in the rate of insulin secretion. While the IBMX could augment insulin release evoked by 10 mM glucose, the extract failed to modify it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that G. lucidum acts directly on the Langerhans islets to increase basal insulin release.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, I. R. Iran ; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, I. R. Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shafiee-Nick
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, I. R. Iran ; Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad I. R. Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Parizadeh
authors.affiliation: Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, I. R. Iran.
authors.forename: Nona
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zokaei
authors.affiliation: Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, I. R. Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghorbani