Antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of alpha, beta-amyrin, a triterpenoid mixture from Protium heptaphyllum in mice

作者：Santos Flavia Almeida^*; Frota Julyanne Torres; Arruda Bruno Rodrigues; de Melo Tiago Sousa; de Carvalho Almeida da Silva Armenio Andre; de Castro Brito Gerly Anne; Chaves Mariana Helena; Rao Vietla Satyanarayana

来源：Lipids in Health and Disease, 2012, 11(1): 98.

DOI：10.1186/1476-511X-11-98

• Protium heptaphyllum
• alpha
• beta-amyrin
• Pentacyclic triterpene
• Antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects
• Mice

Background: Pentacyclic triterpenes in general exert beneficial effects in metabolic disorders. This study investigated the effects of alpha, beta-amyrin, a pentacyclic triterpene mixture from the resin of Protium heptaphyllum on blood sugar level and lipid profile in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, and in mice fed on a high-fat diet (HFD).
Findings: Mice treated with alpha, beta-amyrin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) or glibenclamide (10 mg/kg, p.o.) had significantly reduced STZ-induced increases in blood glucose (BG), total cholesterol (TC) and serum triglycerides (TGs). Unlike glibenclamide that showed significant reductions in BG, TC and TGs in normoglycemic mice, alpha, beta-amyrin did not lower normal blood sugar levels but at 100 mg/kg, manifested a hypolipidemic effect. Also, alpha, beta-amyrin effectively reduced the elevated plasma glucose levels during the oral glucose tolerance test. Moreover, the plasma insulin level and histopathological analysis of pancreas revealed the beneficial effect of alpha, beta-amyrin in the preservation of beta cell integrity. In mice treated orally with alpha, beta-amyrin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) or fenofibrate (200 mg/kg), the HFD-associated rise in serum TC and TGs were significantly less. The hypocholesterolemic effect of alpha, beta-amyrin appeared more prominent at 100 mg/kg with significant decreases in VLDL and LDL cholesterol and an elevation of HDL cholesterol. Besides, the atherogenic index was significantly reduced by alpha, beta-amyrin.
Conclusions: These findings reflect the potential antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of alpha, beta-amyrin mixture and suggest that it could be a lead compound for drug development effective in diabetes and atherosclerosis.

• 出版日期2012-8-6