Effects of Korean Wild Vegetables on Blood Glucose Levels and Energy Metabolites in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats

한국산 야생식용식물이 당뇨 유발 흰쥐의 혈당과 에너지대사에 미치는 영향

The hypoglycemic effects of five Korean wild vegetables, Aralia continentalis (A. con.), Castanea crenata (C. cre.), Xanthium strumarium (K, str.), Alisma canaliculatum (A. can,) and Eupatorium chinense var. simplicifolium for tripartium (E. tri) which have been utilized for the traditional remedies were investigated in this study. Diabetes mellitus was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by injections of streptozotocin (STZ) into the tail veins at a dose of 45 mg/kg. Five groups of STZ-induced diabetic rats were fed one of each experimental diet containing 10% of the Korean wild vegetable powder and normal and STZ-control rats were fed the control diet for five weeks. The body weight change, feed efficiency ratio (FER) and organ weights were compared. The plasma levels of glucose, protein, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, and aminotransferase activity were determined. Mineral (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) contents of the Korean wild vegetables were analyzed. The body weight gain was higher in normal, C. cre., A. can. and E. tri. groups than in the diabetic control group. The FER of C. cre., A. can. and E. tri. groups was significantly higher (p.＜0.05) than that of diabetic control group. Liver weight was heavier in A. con., X. str. and A. can. groups compared with the diabetic control group. The weights of kidney were lighter in all five Korean wild vegetable groups than in the diabetic control group. After five weeks, the plasma glucose level tends to be decreased in A. con., A. can. and E. tri. groups. Plasma cholesterol level was decreased the Korean wild vegetables except for X. str. group. Plasma HDL- cholesterol level was significantly higher in A. con., A. can. and E. tri. groups compared with the diabetic control group. Plasma triglyceride and free fatty acid levels were significantly higher in X. str. group compared with the diabetic control group. Mineral contents were higher in E. tri. (Ca, K, Na and Fe). The results suggest that the intakes of A. con., A. can. and E. tri. have a hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats showing the possibility as the valuable food resources for the prevention of diabetic mellitus.