Increase of insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats received die-huang-wan, a herbal mixture used in Chinese traditional medicine.

Abstract

AIM:

Effects on insulin sensitivity of die-huang-wan, the herbal mixture widely used to treat diabetic disorder in Chinese traditional medicine, were investigated in vivo.

METHODS:

The obese Zucker rats were employed as insulin-resistant animal model. Also, insulin-resistance was induced by the repeated intraperitoneal injections of long-acting human insulin at 0.5 U/kg three times daily into adult male Wistar rats. Insulin resistance was identified using the loss of tolbutamide (10 mg/kg) or electroacupuncture (EA)-induced plasma glucose lowering action. The plasma glucose concentration was examined by glucose oxidase assay.

RESULTS:

The plasma glucose-lowering action induced by tolbutamide was significantly enhanced in obese Zucker rats receiving the repeated administration of die-huang-wan at dosage of 26 mg/kg for 3 d. Furthermore, administration of die-huang-wan delayed the formation of insulin resistance in rats that were induced by the daily repeated injection of human long-acting insulin at 0.5 U/kg three times daily and identified by the loss of tolbutamide- or EA-induced hypoglycemia. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, oral administration of metformin at 320 mg/kg once daily made an increase of the response to exogenous short-acting human insulin 15 d later. This is consistent with the view that metformin can increase insulin sensitivity. Similar treatment with die-huang-wan at an effective dose (26.0 mg/kg) also increased the plasma glucose lowering action of exogenous insulin at 10 d later. The effect of die-huang-wan on insulin sensitivity seems to produce more rapidly than that of metformin.

CONCLUSION:

The present study found that oral administration of die-huang-wan increased insulin sensitivity and delayed the development of insulin resistance in rats.

• Authors: Yang-Chang Wu, Jen-Hao Hsu, I-Min Liu, Shorong-Shii Liou, Hui-Chen Su, Juei-Tang Cheng
• Journal: Acta pharmacologica Sinica (Acta Pharmacol Sin) Vol. 23 Issue 12 Pg. 1181-7 (Dec 2002) ISSN: 1671-4083 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12466058 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Hypoglycemic Agents
• Insulin
• Liuwei Dihuang Decoction
• Metformin

Topics

• Animals
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental (blood)
• Drug Interactions
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Hypoglycemic Agents (pharmacology)
• Insulin (pharmacology)
• Insulin Resistance
• Male
• Metformin (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Rats, Zucker