Antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of α, β-amyrin, a triterpenoid mixture from Protium heptaphyllum in mice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Pentacyclic triterpenes in general exert beneficial effects in metabolic disorders. This study investigated the effects of α, β-amyrin, a pentacyclic triterpene mixture from the resin of Protium heptaphyllum on blood sugar level and lipid profile in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, and in mice fed on a high-fat diet (HFD).

FINDINGS:

Mice treated with α, β-amyrin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) or glibenclamide (10 mg/kg, p.o.) had significantly reduced STZ-induced increases in blood glucose (BG), total cholesterol (TC) and serum triglycerides (TGs). Unlike glibenclamide that showed significant reductions in BG, TC and TGs in normoglycemic mice, α, β-amyrin did not lower normal blood sugar levels but at 100 mg/kg, manifested a hypolipidemic effect. Also, α, β-amyrin effectively reduced the elevated plasma glucose levels during the oral glucose tolerance test. Moreover, the plasma insulin level and histopathological analysis of pancreas revealed the beneficial effect of α, β-amyrin in the preservation of beta cell integrity. In mice treated orally with α, β-amyrin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) or fenofibrate (200 mg/kg), the HFD-associated rise in serum TC and TGs were significantly less. The hypocholesterolemic effect of α, β-amyrin appeared more prominent at 100 mg/kg with significant decreases in VLDL and LDL cholesterol and an elevation of HDL cholesterol. Besides, the atherogenic index was significantly reduced by α, β-amyrin.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings reflect the potential antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of α, β-amyrin mixture and suggest that it could be a lead compound for drug development effective in diabetes and atherosclerosis.

• Authors: Flávia Almeida Santos, Julyanne Torres Frota, Bruno Rodrigues Arruda, Tiago Sousa de Melo, Armenio André de Carvalho Almeida da Silva, Gerly Anne de Castro Brito, Mariana Helena Chaves, Vietla Satyanarayana Rao
• Journal: Lipids in health and disease (Lipids Health Dis) Vol. 11 Pg. 98 (Aug 06 2012) ISSN: 1476-511X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22867128 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Hypoglycemic Agents
• Hypolipidemic Agents
• Triglycerides
• Oleanolic Acid
• Cholesterol
• beta-amyrin
• Glyburide
• Fenofibrate

Topics

• Animals
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental (blood, drug therapy, pathology)
• Diet, High-Fat (adverse effects)
• Drug Discovery
• Fenofibrate (pharmacology)
• Glyburide (pharmacology)
• Hypercholesterolemia (blood, drug therapy)
• Hypoglycemic Agents (administration & dosage, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Hypolipidemic Agents (administration & dosage, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Insulin-Secreting Cells (drug effects, pathology)
• Magnoliopsida (chemistry)
• Male
• Mice
• Oleanolic Acid (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Phytotherapy
• Triglycerides (blood)