Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020 May 11;20(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s12906-020-02937-0.
Carvacrol is a food additive with various bioactivities, including reducing the blood glucose level as well as improvement of heart function, in diabetic mice. We explored the antihyperglycemic effect of carvacrol and its effect on the key hepatic enzymes accounting for glucose metabolism.
A streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes-mellitus model in mice was used. Mice were divided randomly into a control group, diabetic group, low dose carvacrol-treated diabetic group (10 mg/kg body weight [BW]), and high dose carvacrol-treated diabetic group (20 mg/kg BW). Carvacrol was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) in each carvacrol-treated group daily for 4 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively. The level of random plasma glucose, fasting plasma glucose, and plasma insulin was determined at 4 weeks and 6 weeks after carvacrol administration. The plasma level of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the activity of hepatic key enzymes related to glucose metabolism were determined.
Carvacrol treatment decreased the levels of random plasma glucose and fasting plasma glucose, significantly in a dose-dependent manner. A significant improvement in glucose tolerance and a significant decrease in the plasma level of TG were observed in carvacrol-treated diabetic mice at a dose of 20 mg/kg BW compared with that in vehicle-treated diabetic mice. There was no significant difference in the plasma level of TC and insulin between vehicle-treated diabetic mice and carvacrol-treated diabetic mice. Carvacrol treatment at a dose of 20 mg/kg BW significantly reduced the plasma level of LDH but not AST, ALT, or ALP, compared with that in the vehicle-treated diabetic group. The activity of hexokinase (HK), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), and citrate synthetase (CS) was increased by carvacrol treatment in diabetic mice.
Carvacrol exerted an anti-hyperglycemic effect in STZ-induced diabetic mice. This was achieved through regulating glucose metabolism by increasing the activity of the hepatic enzymes HK, PFK, and CS.
香芹酚是一种食品添加剂，具有多种生物活性，包括降低糖尿病小鼠的血糖水平和改善心脏功能。我们探讨了香芹酚的降血糖作用及其对葡萄糖代谢关键肝酶的影响。
采用链脲佐菌素（STZ）诱导的糖尿病模型小鼠。将小鼠随机分为对照组、糖尿病组、低剂量香芹酚处理的糖尿病组（10mg/kg 体重）和高剂量香芹酚处理的糖尿病组（20mg/kg BW）。香芹酚分别以腹腔注射（i.p.）的方式每日给药，持续 4 周和 6 周。在香芹酚给药后 4 周和 6 周时，测定随机血浆葡萄糖、空腹血浆葡萄糖和血浆胰岛素水平。测定血浆总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、碱性磷酸酶（ALP）、乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）水平和与葡萄糖代谢相关的肝关键酶的活性。
香芹酚处理可显著降低随机血浆葡萄糖和空腹血浆葡萄糖水平，且呈剂量依赖性。与 vehicle 处理的糖尿病小鼠相比，20mg/kg BW 剂量的香芹酚处理可显著改善糖尿病小鼠的葡萄糖耐量，并显著降低血浆 TG 水平。与 vehicle 处理的糖尿病小鼠相比，TC 和胰岛素的血浆水平在 vehicle 处理的糖尿病小鼠和香芹酚处理的糖尿病小鼠之间无显著差异。与 vehicle 处理的糖尿病组相比，20mg/kg BW 剂量的香芹酚处理可显著降低 LDH 的血浆水平，但对 AST、ALT 或 ALP 无影响。香芹酚处理可增加糖尿病小鼠肝组织中己糖激酶（HK）、6-磷酸果糖激酶（PFK）和柠檬酸合酶（CS）的活性。
香芹酚对 STZ 诱导的糖尿病小鼠具有抗高血糖作用。这是通过增加肝酶 HK、PFK 和 CS 的活性来调节葡萄糖代谢实现的。
