Antihyperglycemic activity of Tarralin™, an ethanolic extract of Artemisia dracunculus L.

The studies reported here were undertaken to examine the antihyperglycemic activity of an ethanolic extract of Artemisia dracunculus L., called Tarralin((TM)) in diabetic and non-diabetic animals. In genetically diabetic KK-A(gamma) mice, Tarralin((TM)) treatment by gavage (500mg/kg body wt./day for 7 days) lowered elevated blood glucose levels by 24% from 479 +/- 25 to 352 +/- 16 mg/dl relative to control animals. In comparison, treatment with the known antidiabetic drugs, troglitazone (30 mg/kg body wt./day) and metformin (300 mg/kg body wt./day), decreased blood glucose concentrations by 28% and 41%, respectively. Blood insulin concentrations were reduced in the KK-A(gamma) mice by 33% with Tarralin((TM)), 48% with troglitazone and 52% with metformin. In (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, Tarralin((TM)) treatment, (500 mg/kg body wt./day for 7 days), also significantly lowered blood glucose concentrations, by 20%, from 429 +/- 41 to 376 +/- 58 mg/dl relative to control. As a possible mechanism, Tarralin((TM)) was shown to significantly decrease phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA expression by 28% in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In nondiabetic animals, treatment with Tarralin((TM)) did not significantly alter PEPCK expression, blood glucose or insulin concentrations. The extract was also shown to increase the binding of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) to its receptor in vitro. These results indicate that Tarralin((TM)) has antihyperglycemic activity and a potential role in the management of diabetic states. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.