Panax ginseng improves glucose metabolism in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats through 5′ adenosine monophosphate kinase up-regulation

Abstract

5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), insulin receptors and transporters are distorted in diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effect of <i>Panax ginseng</i> was assessed on glucose manipulating enzymes activities and gene expression of AMPK, IRA and GLUT2 in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats. Forty male albino rats were randomly divided to four groups 10 rats of each, group I, normal control group (received saline orally); group II, normal rats received 200 mg/kg of <i>Panax ginseng</i> orally; group III, Streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetic rats and group IV, STZ-induced diabetic rats received 200 mg/kg of <i>Panax ginseng</i> orally. The duration of experiment was 30 days. Results showed the ability of <i>Panax ginseng to</i> induce a significant decrease in the blood glucose and increase in the serum insulin levels, hepatic glucokinase (GK), and glycogen synthase (GS) activities with a modulation of lipid profile besides high expression levels of AMPK, insulin receptor A (IRA), glucose transporting protein-2 (GLUT-2) in liver of diabetic rats. In conclusion, the obtained results point to the ability of <i>Panax ginseng</i> to improve the glucose metabolism in diabetic models.