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Pancreatic and extra-pancreatic effects of the traditional anti-diabetic plant, Medicago sativa (lucerne)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Alison M Gray  and
Peter R Flatt
Alison M Gray
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
Peter R Flatt
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
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Abstract

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Medicago sativa (lucerne) is used as a traditional plant treatment of diabetes. In the present study, administration of lucerne in the diet (62·5 g/kg) and drinking water (2·5 g/l) reduced the hyperglycaemia of streptozotocin-diabetic mice. An aqueous extract of lucerne (1 mg/ml) stimulated 2-deoxy-glucose transport (1·8-fold), glucose oxidation (1·7-fold) and incorporation of glucose into glycogen (l·6-fold) in mouse abdominal muscle. In acute 20 min tests, 0·25–1 mg/ml aqueous extract of lucerne evoked a stepwise 2·5–6·3-fold stimulation of insulin secretion from the BRIN-BD11 pancreatic B-cell line. This effect was abolished by 0·5 mM-diazoxide, and prior exposure to extract did not affect subsequent stimulation of insulin secretion by 10 mM-L-alanine, thereby negating a detrimental effect on cell viability. The effect of extract was potentiated by 16·7 mM-glucose and by 1 mM-3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. L-Alanine (10 mM) and a depolarizing concentration of KCI (25 mM) did not augment the insulin-releasing activity of lucerne. Activity of the extract was found to be heat stable and largely acetone insoluble, and was enhanced by exposure to acid and alkali (0·1 M-HCI and NaOH) but decreased 25% with dialysis to remove components with molecular mass <2000 Da. Sequential extraction with solvents revealed insulin-releasing activity in both methanol and water fractions indicating a cumulative effect of more than one extract constituent. The results demonstrate the presence of antihyperglycaemic, insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity in the traditional antidiabetic plant, Medicago sativu.

Keywords

LucerneInsulinDiabetes mellitus
Type
General Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 78 , Issue 2 , August 1997 , pp. 325 - 334
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1997

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