Nutr Res Pract.  2012 Jun;6(3):201-207.

Quercetin ameliorates hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia and improves antioxidant status in type 2 diabetic db/db mice

• Jeong SM
• Kang MJ
• Choi HN
• Kim JH
• Kim JI

Abstract

This study investigated the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant effects of dietary quercetin in an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Four-week-old C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice (n = 18) were offered an AIN-93G diet or a diet containing quercetin at 0.04% (low quercetin, LQE) or 0.08% of the diet (high quercetin, HQE) for 6 weeks after 1 week of adaptation. Plasma glucose, insulin, adiponectin, and lipid profiles, and lipid peroxidation of the liver were determined. Plasma glucose levels were significantly lower in the LQE group than in the control group, and those in the HQE group were even further reduced compared with the LQE group. The homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) showed lower values for LQE and HQE than for the control group without significant influence on insulin levels. High quercetin increased plasma adiponectin compared with the control group. Plasma triglycerides in the LQE and HQE groups were lower than those in the control group. Supplementation with high quercetin decreased plasma total cholesterol and increased HDL-cholesterol compared with the control group. Consumption of low and high quercetin reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels and elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver. Thus, quercetin could be effective in improving hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and antioxidant status in type 2 diabetes.

Keyword

Quercetin; hyperglycemia; dyslipidemia; antioxidant; db/db mouse

MeSH Terms

Adiponectin
Animals
Antioxidants
Catalase
Cholesterol
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Diet
Dyslipidemias
Glucose
Glutathione Peroxidase
Homeostasis
Hyperglycemia
Insulin
Insulin Resistance
Lipid Peroxidation
Liver
Mice
Models, Animal
Plasma
Quercetin
Superoxide Dismutase
Thiobarbiturates
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
Triglycerides
Adiponectin
Antioxidants
Catalase
Cholesterol
Glucose
Glutathione Peroxidase
Insulin
Quercetin
Superoxide Dismutase
Thiobarbiturates
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
Triglycerides

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Plasma glucose, insulin and adiponectin and HOMA-IR of db/db mice. A, Plasma glucose; B, Plasma insulin; C, Plasma adiponectin; and D, HOMA-IR. The control group was fed AIN-93G diet, whereas the low and high quercetin (LQE and HQE) groups were fed a diet containing 0.04% and 0.08% quercetin for 6 weeks. Values are mean ± SD (n = 6). Each bar with different letters is significantly different (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01). ns = not significant

• 

  Fig. 2 Plasma lipid profile of db/db mice. A, Plasma triglycerides; B, Plasma total cholesterol; and C, Plasma HDL-cholesterol. The control group was fed AIN-93G diet, whereas the low and high quercetin (LQE and HQE) groups were fed a diet containing 0.04% and 0.08% quercetin for 6 weeks. Values are mean ± SD (n = 6). Each bar with different letters is significantly different (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01).

• 

  Fig. 3 Biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in the liver. A, TBARS; B, SOD activity; C, CAT activity; and D, GSH-Px activity. The control group was fed AIN-93G diet, whereas the low and high quercetin (LQE and HQE) groups were fed a diet containing 0.04% and 0.08% quercetin for 6 weeks. Values are mean ± SD (n = 6). Each bar with different letters is significantly different (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01).

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