Aim: The antihyperglycemic effects of the total ginsenosides in Chinese ginseng (TGCG), extracted from leaves and the stem, were evaluated in diabetic C57BL/6J ob/ob mice.
Methods: Animals received daily intraperitoneal injections of TGCG (100 and 200 mg/kg) or oral administration (150 and 300 mg/kg) for 12 d. Fasting blood glucose levels and body weight were measured after fasting the animals for 4 h. Peripheral glucose use was also measured using an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test.
Results: In the injection group, a high dose of TGCG (200 mg/kg) significantly lowered the fasting blood glucose levels in ob/ob mice on d 12 (153+/-16 mg/dL vs 203+/-9.8 mg/dL, P<0.01, compared to vehicle-treated group). In the oral group, blood glucose decreased notably with a dose of TGCG (300 mg/kg) on d 12 (169.1+/-12.6 mg/dL vs 211.6+/-13.8 mg/dL, P<0.05, compared to the vehicle-treated group). Glucose tolerance was also improved markedly in ob/ob mice. Furthermore, a significant reduction in bodyweight (P<0.05) was observed after 12 d of TGCG (300 mg/kg) treatment in mice from the oral group.
Conclusion: The results indicated that in a diabetic ob/ob mouse model TGCG was endowed with significant anti-hyperglycemic and anti-obesity properties. Therefore, the total ginsenosides extracted from Chinese ginseng leaves and the stem may have some potential for treating diabetes.