Nutr Res Pract.  2013 Jun;7(3):166-171.

Lotus leaf alleviates hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in animal model of diabetes mellitus

• Kim AR
• Jeong SM
• Kang MJ
• Jang YH
• Choi HN
• Kim JI

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lotus leaf on hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in animal model of diabetes. Inhibitory activity of ethanol extract of lotus leaf against yeast alpha-glucosidase was measured in vitro. The effect of lotus leaf on the postprandial increase in blood glucose levels was assessed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. A starch solution (1 g/kg) with and without lotus leaf extract (500 mg/kg) was administered to the rats after an overnight fast, and postprandial plasma glucose levels were monitored. Four-week-old db/db mice were fed a basal diet or a diet containing 1% lotus leaf extract for 7 weeks after 1 week of acclimation to study the chronic effect of lotus leaf. After sacrifice, plasma glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-CHOL, and blood glycated hemoglobin levels were measured. Lotus leaf extract inhibited alpha-glucosidase activity by 37.9%, which was 1.3 times stronger than inhibition by acarbose at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL in vitro. Oral administration of lotus leaf extract significantly decreased the area under the glucose response curve by 35.1% compared with that in the control group (P < 0.01). Chronic feeding of lotus leaf extract significantly lowered plasma glucose and blood glycated hemoglobin compared with those in the control group. Lotus leaf extract significantly reduced plasma TG and total CHOL and elevated HDL-CHOL levels compared with those in the control group. Therefore, we conclude that lotus leaf is effective for controlling hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in an animal model of diabetes mellitus.

Keyword

Lotus leaf; alpha-glucosidase; glucose; triglyceride; cholesterol

MeSH Terms

Acarbose
Acclimatization
Administration, Oral
alpha-Glucosidases
Animals
Blood Glucose
Cholesterol
Diabetes Mellitus
Diet
Dyslipidemias
Ethanol
Glucose
Hemoglobins
Hyperglycemia
Insulin
Lipoproteins
Lotus
Mice
Models, Animal
Plasma
Rats
Starch
Triglycerides
Yeasts
Acarbose
Blood Glucose
Cholesterol
Ethanol
Glucose
Hemoglobins
Insulin
Lipoproteins
Starch
Triglycerides
alpha-Glucosidases

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Increase in blood glucose after administration of lotus leaf extract in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Control group (●): Starch (1 g/kg) was administered orally to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after an overnight fast. Lotus leaf group (■): Starch (1 g/kg) plus ethanol extract of lotus leaf (500 mg/kg) was administered orally to the rats after an overnight fast. Values represent means ± SE (n = 8). *Significantly different at P < 0.05, **Significantly different at P < 0.01, ns; not significant.

• 

  Fig. 2 Hypoglycemic effects of lotus leaf extract in db/db mice. (A) Blood glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), (B) Plasma glucose, (C) Plasma insulin and (D) HOMA-IR. The control group was fed a standard AIN-93G diet, whereas the treatment group was fed a diet containing 1% ethanol extract of lotus leaf ad libitum for 7 weeks. Values represent means ± SE (n = 8). *Significantly different at P < 0.05, ns; not significant.

• 

  Fig. 3 Hypolipidemic effects of lotus leaf extract in db/db mice. (A) Plasma triglycerides, (B) Plasma total cholesterol and (C) Plasma HDL-cholesterol. The control group was fed a standard AIN-93G diet, whereas the treatment group was fed a diet containing 1% ethanol extract of lotus leaf ad libitum for 7 weeks. Values represent means ± SE (n = 8). *Significantly different at P < 0.05, **Significantly different at P < 0.01.

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