Shikonin Increases Glucose Uptake in Skeletal Muscle Cells and Improves Plasma Glucose Levels in Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki Rats

Abstract

Shikonin increases glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells via an insulin-independent pathway dependent on calcium. The beneficial effects of shikonin on glucose metabolism, both in vitro and in vivo, show that the compound possesses properties that make it of considerable interest for developing novel treatment of type 2 diabetes.