Aim: To study the antidiabetic effect of Oenanthe javanica flavone (OjF).
Methods: Mice were injected i.v. with alloxan 90 mg.kg-1 to induce diabetes. Blood glucose, serum lipid, and pancreatic amylase were determined with Automatic Biochemistry Analysor. Serum insulin was determined by radioimmunoassay. The pancreas and islets were examined under microscope.
Results: OjF 200 mg.kg-1 reduced the blood glucose in normal mice from 0.5 to 6 h after a single administration ig. OjF 200 and 400 mg.kg-1 ig daily for 10 d decreased the blood glucose in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). OjF promoted the release of insulin both in normal and in diabetic mice. OjF decreased serum triglyceride and raised the lowered pancreatic amylases in diabetic mice (P < 0.01, P < 0.01). The islet-injured changes of OjF-treated group were similar to those of control in histology examination, but to a lesser degree.
Conclusion: OjF possessed the hypoglycemic and hypotriglyceride actions, mainly concerned with promoting release of insulin from B-cells in islets of langerhans.