Planta Med 2006; 72(13): 1175-1180
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-947199
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Antihyperglycemic Effect of Aporphines and their Derivatives in Normal and Diabetic Rats

Tzong-Cherng Chi1 , Shoei-Sheng Lee2 , Ming-Jai Su1
  • 1Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
  • 2School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Further Information

Publication History

Received: October 28, 2005

Accepted: June 2, 2006

Publication Date:
21 August 2006 (online)

Abstract

The antihyperglycemic actions of some aporphines and their derivatives in normal Wistar, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic (IDDM) and nicotinamide-STZ induced diabetic (NIDDM) rats were investigated in this study. These compounds included thaliporphine, glaucine, boldine, N-methyllaurotetanine, and predicentrine and the derivatives, N-[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)ethyl]norglaucine and diacetyl-N-allylsecoboldine. Bolus intravenous injection of these compounds decreased the plasma glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner in both normal and diabetic rats. Among them, thaliporphine was found to have the most potent antihyperglycemic effect in both NIDDM and IDDM diabetic rats. It was found that thaliporphine could stimulate the release of insulin in both normal and diabetic rats, and a dose of 1 mg per kg thaliporphine could significantly attenuate the increase of plasma glucose induced by an intravenous glucose challenge test in normal rats. Similar treatment with thaliporphine significantly increased the skeletal muscle glycogen synthesis in both normal and diabetic rats. Hence, the hypoglycemic effect of thaliporphine in diabetic rats could be attributed to the stimulation of insulin release and the increase of glucose utilization.

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M. J. Su, Ph. D.

Institute of Pharmacology

College of Medicine

National Taiwan University

No. K1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Rd

Taipei

Taiwan

Republic of China

Phone: +886-2-2312-3456 ext. 8317

Fax: +886-2-2397-1403

Email: mjsu@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw