Narrow Results

The aim of the present study was to identify the selective therapeutic effects of Corni Fructus (Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc.) on different organs in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes in rats was induced by intraperitonal injection with STZ at a dose of 30 mg/kg body weight (bw) for 3 days (once per a day). STZ-induced diabetic rats were orally administrated Corni Fructus (CF) extract at 300 mg/kg or metformin at 250 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks. Blood glucose and triglyceride (TG) in sera and urine total volume were measured. Histopathological changes of different organs, pancreas, liver, kidney, and lung tissues were observed by H&E staining. The expression of insulin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was investigated in pancreas, and kidney by immunohistochemistry, respectively. The results revealed that CF extract significantly decreased the serum levels of blood glucose, and TG, and also urine total volume in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The histological examinations revealed amelioration of diabetes-induced pancreas injury including pathological changes of the Langerhans's islet and glomerular with their loss after the administration of CF extraction. Moreover, the administration of CF extract increased the numbers of insulin releasing beta cells in pancreas and also inhibited the expression of α-SMA in kidney of STZ-induced diabetic rats. On the other hand, CF extract showed no effect on the pathological damages of liver and lung in STZ-induced diabetic rats. These results demonstrated that CF extract may have a selective therapeutic potential through the control of hyperglycemia, and the protection of pancreas and kidney against diabetic damage.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders in which high blood sugar levels occur over a prolonged period. Approximately 4% of the global population is affected by DM. Western medical treatment methods for diabetes including injection or oral hypoglycemic drugs have some toxic or side effects, economic pressures, and so on. Many researchers turn to discover new drugs from natural products or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Flavonoids are widely distributed in plants, and many studies have shown that flavonoids possess antidiabetic properties, exhibiting not only well-recognized antidiabetic and hypoglycemic activities but also activity in the treatment of diabetic complications. In this review, we systematically summarized anti-diabetic flavonoid compounds based on structure classification by examining the PubMed, Springer Link, Web of Science, and CNKI databases. There are 13 flavonoid compounds listed which have been studied extensively and have antidiabetic features respectively. Apigenin, baicalein, and catechin mainly reduces blood glucose via anti-oxidation; hesperidin is good for diabetic neuropathy; glycyrrhiza flavonoids have a significant effect on gestational DM; quercetin takes advantage of crossing the blood–brain barrier and improving renal function. Some compounds have protective and preventive effects on diabetic complications, such as kaempferol and puerarin which are beneficial to cardiomyopathy; myricetin has therapeutic potential in the treatment of DN; dihydromyricetin might improve CI. It is a pity or might be a pointcut that most studies remain in the animal experimental stage, and further investigation should be carried out.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders in which high blood sugar levels occur over a prolonged period. Approximately 4% of the global population is affected by DM. Western medical treatment methods for diabetes including injection or oral hypoglycemic drugs have some toxic or side effects, economic pressures, and so on. Many researchers turn to discover new drugs from natural products or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Flavonoids are widely distributed in plants, and many studies have shown that flavonoids possess antidiabetic properties, exhibiting not only well-recognized antidiabetic and hypoglycemic activities but also activity in the treatment of diabetic complications. In this review, we systematically summarized antidiabetic flavonoid compounds based on structure classification by examining the PubMed, Springer Link, Web of Science, and CNKI databases. There are 13 flavonoid compounds listed which have been studied extensively and have antidiabetic features respectively. Apigenin, baicalein, and catechin mainly reduces blood glucose via anti-oxidation; hesperidin is good for diabetic neuropathy; glycyrrhiza flavonoids have a significant effect on gestational DM; quercetin takes advantage of crossing the blood–brain barrier and improving renal function. Some compounds have protective and preventive effects on diabetic complications, such as kaempferol and puerarin which are beneficial to cardiomyopathy; myricetin has therapeutic potential in the treatment of DN; dihydromyricetin might improve CI. It is a pity or might be a pointcut that most studies remain in the animal experimental stage, and further investigation should be carried out.