Glycolipids Derived from the Korean Endemic Plant Inducing Glucose Uptake in Mouse Skeletal Muscle C2C12 Cells.

spp. has been used as a traditional folk medicine worldwide for its anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, and detoxifying properties. The well-known species var. has long been used for multifunctional purposes in Eastern Asia. Recently, it was reported that its extract has antioxidant and anti-diabetic effects. In this respect, it is likely that other spp. possess various biological activities; however, little research has been conducted thus far. The present study aims to biologically identify active compounds against diabetes in the Korean endemic plant and evaluate the underlying mechanisms. extract enhanced glucose uptake without toxicity to C2C12 cells. A bioassay-guided isolation of yielded two pure compounds, and their structures were characterized as glycolipid derivatives, gingerglycolipid A, and (2)-3-linolenoylglycerol--β-d-galactopyranoside by an interpretation of nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometric data. Both compounds showed glucose uptake activity, and both compounds increased the phosphorylation levels of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Gingerglycolipid A docked computationally into the active site of IRS-1, AMPK1, AMPK2, and PPARγ (-5.8, -6.9, -6.8, and -6.8 kcal/mol).