• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.75-81
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effect of root extract of Pueraria thunbergiana Bentham (Puerariae Radix, PR) in diabetic mice as similar as emaciation-thirst disease in Oriental medicine. Methods : C57BL/6 mice were fed high fat (HF) and high sucrose (HS) for 8 weeks, and then administrated with 90 mg/kg body weight (bw) of streptozotocin (STZ) for induction of diabetes which is similar to the middle emaciation stage. After 5 days, blood glucose levels were measured, and selected the mice with ranges above $250mg/d{\ell}$. PR water extract was administrated orally once a day for 4 weeks with high fat and high sucrose. The levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, ${\gamma}glutamyl$ transpeptidase (${\gamma}GTP$), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were analysed in the serum. Also, observed their histological changes by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) of different organs, lung, heart, pancreas, stomach, liver, and kidney. Results : PR extract significantly decreased the levels of serum glucose and insulin in diabetic mice. PR extract significantly increased the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, GOT and GPT in diabetic mice. In H&E stain, PR extract inhibited the histopathological changes of lung (as a channel of the upper emaciation stage in the channel-tropism theory), pancreas (as a channel of the middle emaciation stage) and kidney (as a channel of the lower emaciation stage) in diabetic damage. Conclusions : PR extract has an anti-diabetic effect in HF/HS and low-dose STZ-induced diabetic mice. This result suggests that PR follows the channel-tropism theory in the emaciation-thirst disease through the protection of lung, pancreas and kidney.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.53-60
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• 2013

Objectives : To prove the channel-tropism theory in herbology, we investigated the anti-diabetic effect of six herbal plants used for lower wasting-thirst in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods : Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by consecutive injection of streptozotocin (30 mg/kg i.p.) for 5 days. The rats were divided into normal control, diabetic control, and diabetic treatment with Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC, 300 mg/kg); Corni Fructus (CF, 300 mg/kg); Bombyx Batryticatus (BB, 50 mg/kg); Lycii Fructus (LF, 300 mg/kg); Phellodendri Cortex (PC, 300 mg/kg); Epimedii Herba (EH, 300 mg/kg); and glibenclimide (10 mg/kg) as a reference drug. Herbal extracts or reference drug were administered orally for 28 days. The changes of body weight, food intake and water intake, and serological markers such as blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr) were measured. Results : The decrease of body weight and the increase of food and water intake in STZ-induced diabetic rats was improved by the administration of CF and LF. Also, the enhancement of blood glucose and serum total cholesterol, TG, BUN and Cr in STZ-induced diabetic rats was significantly inhibited by the administration of CF, BB, LF and glibenclimide. On the other hand, EH strongly inhibited the increase of BUN and Cr in the sera of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Conclusions : These results suggest that among six herbal medicines used lower emaciation of emaciation-thirst disease, CF, BB, LF and EH show a characteristics including the channel-tropism theory.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

Objectives : To prove the channel-tropism theory of herbal medicines on diabetes mellitus as emaciation-thirst disease in Korean Medicine Theory, we investigated the selective therapeutic effects of Mori Cortex Radidus (MCR), Schisandrae Fructus (SF), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (AR) for the upper emaciation on different organs in high fat and high sucrose (HF/HS) feeding-induced prediabetic mice. Methods : Diabetes in C57BL/6 mice was induced by the administration of high fat (45 kal%) and high sucrose (32 kal%) for 8 weeks, and them treated with each extract at 250 or 500 mg/kg body weight for 4 weeks (once a day). Oral glucose tolerance test and body weight was measured once a week. Insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, ${\gamma}GTP$, GOT and GPT were measured in the sera of all mice. Histopathological changes of different organs, lung, heart, pancreas, stomach, liver, and kidney were observed by H&E staining. Results : The results revealed that MCR extract inhibited the impaired glucose tolerance and lung damage, and increased serum insulin levels in HF/HS-induced prediabetic mice. SF extract inhibited the impaired glucose tolerance and lung damage, increased serum insulin levels, and decreased serum triglycerige levels. Meanwhile, AR extract inhibited the impaired glucose tolerance and lung damage, and decreased serum levels of insulin, total cholesterol and triglycerige levels. Conclusions : These results demonstrated that MCR, SF, and AR extract as the upper emaciation herbal medicines were followed their channel-tropism theory like a lung, and may have a selective therapeutic potential for control of diabetic stage.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.169-179
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• 2004

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to research trends in the study of diabetes mellitus and to establish the future direction for its study. Methods : We reviewed oriental medicine papers published in the last twenty-three years(1980-2002). Results : 1. We researched 94 papers in 14 journals and the patterns of study were as follows: experimental studies were 53 (56.3%), reviewed studies were 20 (21.2%), clinical studies were 12 (12.7%) and case reports were 9 (9.8%). 2. The experimental studies (53) were divided into papers on efficiency testing of herbal medications (40) and acupuncture & moxibustion (13). 3. The reviewed studies showed that research has been carried out in the fields of cause, pathogenesis, principles for treating disease, acupuncture and moxibustion, herbal medication, exercise, and relation of sasang (사상) to diabetes mellitus. 4. The clinical studies showed that the research was carried out in the fields of follow up surveys for herbal medication efficiency testing, the relativity of diabetes mellitus to other diseases and sasang (사상). 5. In consequence of researching the case reports, there was no common prescription used meaningfully. Conclusions : We need more studies of diabetes mellitus by reaching for specific therapy.