Planta Med 2005; 71(7): 617-621
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-871266
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Myricetin as the Active Principle of Abelmoschus moschatus to Lower Plasma Glucose in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

I-Min Liu1 , Shorong-Shii Liou1 , Ting-Wei Lan1 , Feng-Lin Hsu2 , Juei-Tang Cheng3
  • 1Department of Pharmacy, Tajen Institute of Technology, Yen-Pou, Ping Tung Shien, Taiwan, R.O.C.
  • 2Institute of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.
  • 3Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: August 27, 2004

Accepted: February 22, 2005

Publication Date:
18 July 2005 (online)

Abstract

The antihyperglycemic action of myricetin, purified from the aerial part of Abelmoschus moschatus (Malvaceae), was investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-diabetic rats). Bolus intravenous injection of myricetin decreased the plasma glucose concentrations in a dose-dependent manner in STZ-diabetic rats. Myricetin at the effective dose (1.0 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the increase of plasma glucose induced by an intravenous glucose challenge test in normal rats. A stimulatory effect of myricetin on glucose uptake of the soleus muscles isolated from STZ-diabetic rats was obtained in a concentration-dependent manner from 0.01 to 10.0 μmol/L. The increase of glucose utilization by myricetin was further characterized using the enhancement of glycogen synthesis in isolated hepatocytes of STZ-diabetic rats. These results suggest that myricetin has an ability to enhance glucose utilization to lower plasma glucose in diabetic rats lacking insulin.

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I-Min Liu, Ph. D.

Department of Pharmacy

Tajen Institute of Technology

Yen-Pou

Ping Tung Shien

Taiwan, R.O.C.

Phone: +886-7-346-0961

Fax: +886-8-762-5308

Email: iml@ccsun.tajen.edu.tw