Effects of okchun-san, a herbal formulation, on blood glucose levels and body weight in a model of Type 2 diabetes

J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Feb 20;103(3):491-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.08.039. Epub 2005 Sep 23.

Abstract

The effective control of blood glucose is the key to preventing or reversing diabetic complications. In this study, we examined the effects of Okchun-San (OCS), a Korean herbal medicine formula, on the blood glucose levels in diabetic C57BL/KsJ db/db mice. Herbal medicines were prepared from dried herbs by adding Coicis semen (OCS-C) or Oryzae semen (OCS-O). The experimental animals were divided into a control group and three sample groups; the sample groups received OCS-C (200 mg/kg), OCS-O (200 mg/kg), or acarbose (5 mg/kg) orally once a day for 12 days. On days 5 and 12, the fasting blood glucose levels of vehicle-treated db/db mice were significantly higher than day 0, while those of OCS-C, OCS-O, or acarbose-treated mice had not increased compared to the control group (p<0.01). During intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), OCS-C group showed improved glucose sensitivity compared to the control group. These results suggest that OCS-C can be useful as an anti-diabetic therapy for Type 2 diabetic patients by lowering the blood glucose level.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acarbose / pharmacology
  • Acarbose / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects*
  • Body Weight / drug effects*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • okchun-san
  • Acarbose