Hypoglycemic effect of the rhizomes of ophiopogonis tuber in normal and diabetic mice.

The hypoglycemic effect of the rhizomes of Ophiopogonis Tuber (Liliaceae) was investigated in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The n-butanol extract of rhizomes of Ophiopogonis Tuber (BM) (100 mg/kg) reduced the blood glucose of normal mice from 201 +/- 13 to 151 +/- 7 mg/100 ml 4h after intraperitoneal administration (p < 0.054), and also significantly lowered the blood glucose of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice from 590 +/- 28 to 470 +/- 37 mg/100 ml under similar conditions (p < 0.05). BM also tended to suppress epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia in mice. We concluded that the hypoglycemic effect of BM does not alter the insulin concentration.