• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.790-796
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• 2004

Ginseng is a shade-loving perennial herb that is cultivated mainly in Korea, Japan, and China. The ginseng root has been used as a tonic remedy, and its antidiabetic activity has been demonstrated as early as 1920s. Although wild ginseng was anecdotally thought to be superior to cultivated ginseng as far as pharmacological properties were concerned, there have been no prior reports on the antidiabetic effect of wild ginseng. In this study, we investigated the preventative anti-diabetic and anti-obese effects of wild ginseng ethanol extract (WGEE). In the preventive experiment, WGEE co-administered with a high fat diet significantly inhibited body weight gain, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and free fatty acid levels in a dose dependent manner. WGEE-treated mice at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg improved the insulin resistance index by 55％ and 61％ compared to the high fat diet (HFD) control, respectively. Diameters of white and brown adipocytes were also decreased by 62％ and 46％ in the WG500-treated group compared to those in HFD fed control mice. Taken together, WGEE has potential as a preventive agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (and possibly obesity) and deserves clinical trial in the near future.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2015

KR-67500, trans-4-(2-(4-methyl-1,1-dioxido-6-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)-1,2,6-thiadiazinan-2-yl)acetamido)adamantane-1-carboxamide, is a novel $11{\beta}$-HSD1 inhibitor with its therapeutic effects of its anti-diabetic, anti-adipogenic and anti-osteoporotic activity. This study was performed to evaluate in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties of KR-67500 as a new drug candidate. KR-67500 was stable and highly bound to proteins in rat plasma. The microsomal stabilities of KR-67500 in human and rat liver were high. The inhibitory effect of KR-67500 for five cytochrome P450 enzymes was low. Preclinical pharmacokinetic studies have been carried out with intravenous or oral administrations of KR-67500 (10 mg/kg) to male rats and monkey. KR-67500 showed low clearance (0.68 l/h/kg) and high oral bioavailability (102%) in male rats. These results suggest that KR-67500 has good drug-like pharmacokinetic properties with a low first-pass effect and high bioavailability for an oral therapeutic agent of diabetes and osteoporosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.345-350
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• 2006

The pharmacological properties of ginseng are mainly attributed to ginsenosides, the active constituents that are found in the extracts of different species of ginseng. Lately; the studies on ginsenosides are mainly focused on IH-901, a major intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginsenosides. In this study; we examined the anti-diabetic activity of IH-901 in C57BU61 db/db mice model. IH-901 was administrated orally at a dose of 20 mg/kg for 5 weeks. During the experimental period, body weight and blood glucose levels were measured every week. After 5 weeks, db/db mice were sacrificed and diabetic parameters were analyzed. IH-901 treated group showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose levels (from 10.5 mM to 9.4 mM), insulin resistance index (from 163.6 to 100.2) and triglyceride levels (from 115.3 to 70.1) compared to the diabetic control. In Pancreatic islets morphology; IH-901 treated group revealed much less infltrated mononuclear cells, indicating that IH-901 recovered ${\beta}$-cell damage due to hyperglycemia. In addition, IH-901 upregulated expressions of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and PPAR-${\gamma}$ in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, respectively. Taken together IH-901might be a potential anti-hyperglycemic agent with insulin sensitizing effect.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.2487-2490
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• 2013

SA51, a medium potency inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), was identified to be a potent inhibitor of $I{\kappa}B$ kinase ${\beta}$ ($IKK{\beta}$). Consistent with this, SA51 prevented lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced breakdown of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ in macrophages. The effects of SA51 in mice were compared with those of structurally related compounds, SA18 and SA32, which were previously reported as inhibitors of both enzymes - less potent against $IKK{\beta}$ but more potent against PTP1B compared to SA51. SA51 improved glucose tolerance and lipid parameters in mice, consistent with the results reported for $IKK{\beta}^{+/-}$ mice. In contrast, SA18 and SA32 showed anti-obesity effects without anti-diabetic effects. Collectively, the effects of SA51 could be due largely to the inhibition of $IKK{\beta}$, whereas SA18 and SA32 may be more likely to inhibit PTP1B, consistent with their relative in vitro inhibitory effects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5855-5860
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• 2013

Phytochemicals are among the natural chemopreventive agents with most potential for delaying, blocking or reversing the initiation and promotional events of carcinogenesis. They therefore offer cancer treatment strategies to reduce cancer related death. One such promising chemopreventive agent which has attracted considerable attention is sulforaphane (SFN), which exhibits anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-microbial properties. The present study was undertaken to assess effect of SFN alone and in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent, gemcitabine, on the proliferative potential of MCF-7 cells by cell viability assay and authenticated the results by nuclear morphological examination. Further we analyzed the modulation of expression of Bcl-2 and COX-2 on treatment of these cells with SFN by RT-PCR. SFN showed cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner via an apoptotic mode of cell death. In addition, a combinational treatment of SFN and gemcitabine on MCF-7 cells resulted in growth inhibition in a synergistic manner with a combination index (CI)<1. Notably, SFN was found to significantly downregulate the expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic gene, and COX-2, a gene involved in inflammation, in a time-dependent manner. These results indicate that SFN induces apoptosis and anti-inflammatory effects on MCF-7 cells via downregulation of Bcl-2 and COX-2 respectively. The combination of SFN and gemcitabine may potentiate the efficacy of gemcitabine and minimize the toxicity to normal cells. Taken together, SFN may be a potent anti-cancer agent for breast cancer treatment.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.129-144
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• 2002

We investigated anti-hyperglycemic and anti-obese effects of Panax ginseng berry extract and its major constituent, ginsenoside Re, in obese diabetic C57BL/6J ob/ob mice and their lean littermates. Animals received daily intraperitoneal injections of Panax ginseng berry extract for 12 days. On Day 5, 150 mg/kg extract-treated ob/ob mice had significantly lower fasting blood glucose levels compared to vehicle-treated mice $(156{\pm}9.0\;mg/dl\;vs.\;243{\pm}15.8mg/dl,$ P<0.01). On Day 12, the extract-treated ob/ob mice became normoglycemic $(137{\pm}6.7\;mg/dl)$ and had significantly improved glucose tolerance. The overall glucose excursion during the two-hour intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), calculated as area under the curve (AUC), decreased by $46\%$ (P<0.01) compared to vehicle-treated ob/ob mice. Glucose levels of lean mice were not significantly affected by the extract. The improvement in blood glucose levels in 150 mg/kg extracttreated ob/ob mice was associated with significant reduction in serum insulin levels of fed and fasting mice. Consistent with an improvement in insulin sensitivity, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp study revealed a more than 2-fold increase in the rate of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in treated ob/ob mice $(112{\pm}19.1\;vs.\;52{\pm}11.8{\mu}mol/kg/min$ for the vehicle group, P<0.01). In addition, 150 mg/kg extract-treated ob/ob mice, but not the lean mice, lost significant weight (from $51.7{\pm}1.9g\;on\;Day\;0\;to\;45.7{\pm}1.2$ on Day 12, P<0.01 compared to vehicle-treated ob/ob mice), associated with a significant reduction in food intake (P<0.05) and a very significant increase in energy expenditure (P<0.01) and body temperature (P<0.01). A 12-day treatment with 150 mg/kg Panax ginseng berry extract also significantly reduced plasma cholesterol levels in ob/ob mice. Additional studies demonstrated that ginsenoside Re, a major constituent of the ginseng berry, but not from the root, plays a significant role in anti-hyperglycemic action. This anti-diabetic effect of ginsenoside Re was not associated with body weight changes, suggesting that other constituents in the extract have distinct pharmacological mechanisms on energy metabolism. The identification of a significant anti-hyperglycemic activity in ginsenoside Re may provide an opportunity to develop a novel class of anti-diabetic agent.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.367-376
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The blue honeysuckle berry (Lonicera caerulea var. edulis L.) is a small deciduous shrub belonging to the Caprifoliaceae family that is native to Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. The berry of this shrub is edible, sweet and juicy and is commonly known as the blue honeyberry (BHB). This study examined the anti-diabetic potential of BHB on high-fat-diet-induced mild diabetic mice. The hypoglycemic, and nephroprotective effects of the 12-week oral administration of blue honeyberry extract were analyzed. MATERIALS/METHODS: The hypoglycemic effects were based on the observed changes in insulin, blood glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Furthermore, the changes in the weight of the pancreas, including its histopathology and immunohistochemical investigation were also performed. Moreover, the nephroprotective effects were analyzed by observing the changes in kidney weight, its histopathology, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum creatinine levels. RESULTS: The results showed that the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced control mice showed a noticeable increase in blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, BUN, and creatinine levels. Furthermore, growth was observed in lipid droplet deposition related to the degenerative lesions in the vacuolated renal tubules with the evident enlargement and hyperplasia of the pancreatic islets. In addition, in the endocrine pancreas, there was an increase in the insulin-and glucagon-producing cells, as well as in the insulin/glucagon cell ratios. On the other hand, compared to the HFD-treated mice group, all these diabetic and related complications were ameliorated significantly in a dose-dependent manner after 84 days of the continuous oral administration of BHBe at 400, 200 and 100 mg/kg, and a dramatic resettlement in the hepatic glucose-regulating enzyme activities was observed. CONCLUSIONS: By assessing the key parameters for T2DM, the present study showed that the BHBe could act as a potential herbal agent to cure diabetes (type II) and associated ailments in HFD-induced mice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.315-323
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• 2013

This study was conducted in order to compare the biological activities of leaf and root water extracts of Smilax china L. (SC) by measuring the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, anti-oxidant activity, inhibitory effect on ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, and anti-inflammatory gene expression. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of SC leaf (SCLE) and root (SCRE) water extracts were 127.93 mg GAE/g and 39.50 mg GAE/g and 41.99 mg QE/g and 1.25 mg QE/g, respectively. The anti-oxidative activities of SCLE and SCRE were measured using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity assay and reducing power assay. Both SCLE and SCRE scavenged radicals in a concentration-dependent manner, and SCLE showed stronger radical scavenging activity and reducing power than SCRE; however, both SCLE and SCRE exhibited lower activities than ascorbic acid. Compared to the anti-diabetic drug acarbose, which was used as a positive control, SCLE and SCRE exhibited low ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activities; nevertheless, the activity of SCLE was 3.7 fold higher than that of SCRE. Finally, SCLE caused significantly decreased expression of the LPS-induced cytokines, iNOS, and COX-2 mRNA in RAW264.7 cells, indicating anti-inflammatory activity. These results indicate that SCLE might be a potential candidate as an anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory agent.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.4 s.131
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• pp.337-342
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• 2002

The effect of water extract composed of panax ginseng radix rubra, acanthopanacis cortex, and cordyceps (PAC) on diabetic animal models were investigated in two different diabetic animal models. FAC water extract significantly reduced the plasma glucose levels on day 30 as compared with the diabetic control group in $KKA^Y$ obese, hyperglycemic and hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic mice, and also reduced the plasma glucose levels as well as total cholesterol in multiple low dose (MLD) strep tozotocin-induced diabetic SD rats. PAC water extract also showed an inhibitory effect on reduction of body weight and on development of MLD STZ-induced diabetic state. Elevated kidney hypertrophy, which is a characteristic feature shown in early stage of diabetic nephropathy and calculated as the ratio of kidney mass (g) relative to the body weight (g), was also markedly improved in PAC water extract- treated group as compared to the diabetic control group. Taken together, these data suggest that PAC water extract may have a potential as a antidiabetic agent in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.301-308
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• 2011

Diabetes has been one of major health risks in industrialized countries. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been focused as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic syndromes, because AMPK increases glucose uptake through independent insulin signal pathway. In this study, we investigated the anti-diabetic effect of Angelica gigas Nakai extract (AGNEX), a mixture of decursin and decursinol angelate (53 : 47), decursin and decursinol angelate on blood glucose, glucose transport (GLUT) and AMPK expression levels in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. To induce diabetes, 50 mg/kg of STZ was injected via i.v. route and AGNEX 2 mg/kg (STZ+AG), decursin 2 mg/kg (STZ+D), decursinol angelate 2 mg/kg (STZ+DA), and metformin 100 mg/kg (STZ+M) were administered orally for 21 days. STZ+DA group showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose levels compared to the other groups. Decursinol angelate significantly upregulated expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and phosphorylation of AMPK (p-AMPK) in skeletal muscle of rats. In pancreas of rats, decursinol angelate significantly increased expression of GLUT2 through down-regulation of p-AMPK. In addition to the result of pancreatic islets morphology, AGNEX, decursin, decursinol angelate, and metformin treated group recovered ${\beta}$-cell damage by hyperglycemia. These results indicate that decursinol angelate might be a potential anti-diabetic agent and AGNEX could be useful in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.