title: Effects of ursolic acid on glucose metabolism, the polyol pathway and dyslipidemia in non-obese type 2 diabetic mice.
abstract: Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound that naturally occurs in fruits, leaves and flowers of medicinal herbs. This study investigated the dose-response efficacy of UA (0.01 and 0.05%) on glucose metabolism, the polyol pathway and dyslipidemia in streptozotocin/nicotinamide-induced diabetic mice. Supplement with both UA doses reduced fasting blood glucose and plasma triglyceride levels in non-obese type 2 diabetic mice. High-dose UA significantly lowered plasma free fatty acid, total cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol levels compared with the diabetic control mice, while LDL-cholesterol levels were reduced with both doses. UA supplement effectively decreased hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity and increased glucokinase activity, the glucokinase/glucose-6-phosphatase ratio, GLUT2 mRNA levels and glycogen content compared with the diabetic control mice. UA supplement attenuated hyperglycemia-induced renal hypertrophy and histological changes. Renal aldose reductase activity was higher, whereas sorbitol dehydrogenase activity was lower in the diabetic control group than in the non-diabetic group. However, UA supplement reversed the biochemical changes in polyol pathway to normal values. These results demonstrated that low-dose UA had preventive potency for diabetic renal complications, which could be mediated by changes in hepatic glucose metabolism and the renal polyol pathway. High-dose UA was more effective anti-dyslipidemia therapy in non-obese type 2 diabetic mice.
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Hae-In
authors: HI
authors: Lee
authors: Kown-Il
authors: KI
authors: Seo
authors: Hyun Wook
authors: HW
authors: Cho
authors: Myung-Joo
authors: MJ
authors: Kim
authors: Eun-Mi
authors: EM
authors: Park
authors: Mi-Kyung
authors: MK
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005941:Glucokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2 / Q000235:genetics; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005941:Glucokinase; D005947:Glucose; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase; D006003:Glycogen; D011108:Polymers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014315:Triterpenes; D000097245:Ursolic Acid; C495682:Slc2a2 protein, mouse; C024617:polyol