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Full Length
Research Paper
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Effect of Urtica dioica leaf extract on activities of
nucleoside diphosphate kinase and acetyl coenzyme, a
carboxylase, in normal and hyperglycemic rats
Durdi Qujeq1*, Saied Davary1, Zoleika
Moazzi2 and Soleiman Mahjoub1
1Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Babol University of Medical
Sciences, Babol, Iran.
2Department
of Internal Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences,
Babol, Iran.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
dqujeq@mubabol.ac.ir.
or dqujeq@hotmail.com.
Tel: (+98)-111-2190569. Fax: (+98)-111-2226109.
Abbreviations:
ACC, Acetyl CoA carboxylase, NDPK, nucleoside
diphosphate kinase; mM, milli Molar, kg,
kilogram; i.p, intraperitoneal; ml,
milliliter.
Accepted 13 May, 2011 |
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Abstract |
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Urtica dioica
has been shown to have capability of reducing
blood glucose through enhancing insulin
secretion. The aim of this study was to assess
in vivo and in vitro effects of
aqueous and alcoholic extracts of U. dioica
leaves on activities of Acetyl coenzyme A
carboxylase (ACC), Nucleoside diphosphate kinase
(NDPK) and insulin level and serum glucose
concentration. The experimental animals were
randomly distributed among 6 groups of 7 or 8
rats each. The treatment groups received 150
mg/kg of alloxan. Then rats were fed alcoholic
and aqueous extracts of U. dioica at 50
mg/kg/day doses for a period of two weeks.
Subsequently glucose, insulin levels, and ACC,
NDPK activity were measured. Our studies showed
significantly lower levels of glucose in the
group of rats that were treated with ethanol
extract of U. dioica leaves as compared
with the control group (279.6 ± 24.3 vs. 393.6 ±
24.9 mg/dl), (p<0.01). Present results showed
significantly elevated levels of insulin in the
group of rats treated with ethanol extract of
U. dioica leaves as compared with the
control group (7.6 ± 0.3 vs. 3.6 ± 0.2, µg/l),
(p<0.01). Also, results showed significantly
elevated activity of ACC and NDPK in the group
of rats treated with ethanol and aqueous extract
of U. dioica leaves as compared with the
control group. The results of the present study
indicated that alcoholic extract of U. dioica
leaves was found to reduce glucose level and
increase insulin secretion, ACC and NDPK
activity in the alloxan diabetic animals.
Key words:
Urtica dioica, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase, extract,
nucleoside diphosphate kinase. |
