title: Hypoglycemic Effects of a Standardized Extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza Roots in Rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Labiatae) is a Chinese medicinal plant, the dried roots of which (known as Dan-Shen) have been used for hundreds of years in the treatment of a series of ailments, including hyperglycemia. This study was designed to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of a new, standardized extract of S. miltiorrhiza.
  
  
  METHODS
  S. miltiorrhiza extract (containing 21% total tanshinones and 3.7% tanshinone IIA) was administered acutely and intragastrically at the doses of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg to male, healthy, fasted Wistar rats 60 min before the intragastric infusion of a bolus of starch (3 g/kg; a semi-naturalistic experimental condition) (Experiment 1) or glucose (2 g/kg) (Experiment 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both experiments, treatment with S. miltiorrhiza extract produced a dose-related decrease in glycemia, evidenced in terms of reduction of peak value and/or area under the curve of the time-course of glycemia. The effect of S. miltiorrhiza extract occurred at doses devoid of any behavioral toxicity in rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that the hypoglycemic effect of S. miltiorrhiza extract was likely secondary to an action on carbohydrate metabolism. These results are consistent with several preclinical and clinical data and add further support to the hypothesis that S. miltiorrhiza extracts may act as effective anti-hyperglycemic remedies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute treatment with Salvia miltiorrhiza extract reduced the glycemia rise induced by a bolus of starch in ratsAcute treatment with Salvia miltiorrhiza extract reduced the glycemia rise induced by a bolus of glucose in ratsThis effect relates to both glycemia peak value and area under the curve of the time-course of glycemia. Abbreviations used: Intragastric: i.g., Least significant difference: LSD test.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Monserrato (CA), Italy; Cagliari Pharmacological Research S.R.L., Cagliari (CA), Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carai
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Monserrato (CA), Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Monserrato (CA), Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Monserrato (CA), Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaru
authors.affiliation: Indena S.p.A, Milan (MI), Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.affiliation: Indena S.p.A, Milan (MI), Italy.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cabri
authors.affiliation: Indena S.p.A, Milan (MI), Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morazzoni
keywords: Rats; standardized extract of S. miltiorrhiza roots; starch- and glucose-induced rise in glycemia; type-2 diabetes