Metformin-like effects of Quei Fu Di Huang Wan, a Chinese herbal mixture, on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat

Effect on plasma glucose concentration of Quei Fu Di Huang Wan (Quei Fu DHW), the herbal mixture widely used to treat diabetic disorder in Chinese traditional medicine, was investigated in diabetic rats deficient in insulin. Changes of plasma glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-diabetic rats) receiving repeated oral administration of Quei Fu DHW were determined. Also, the mRNA level (by Northern blotting) and protein level (by Western blotting) of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in liver from STZ-diabetic rats were measured to compare differences between groups receiving repeated oral administration of Quei Fu DHW, metformin, and two active herbs (Zou Guei or Fuzei) at effective dosages. In STZ-diabetic rats, acute oral administration of Quei Fu DHW decreased the plasma glucose level significantly in a dose-dependent manner from 5 mg/kg to 26.0 mg/kg. Similar treatment with Quei Fu DHW also brought on a plasma glucose-lowering effect in normal rats, although the effectiveness was not as significant as in STZ-diabetic rats. Repeated oral treatment of Quei Fu DHW at 26 mg/kg every 8 h, three times daily for 3 days, produced a plasma glucose-lowering activity similar to that of metformin-treatment in STZ-diabetic rats. Oral administration of Zou Guei (Cinnamomi Cortex) or Fuzei (Aconiti Tuber), the individual constituent of Quei Fu DHW, at the dose of 50 mg/kg into STZ-diabetic rats for 3 days normalized hyperglycemia. Similar to the repeated treatment with Quei Fu DHW, Fuzei at the effective dose reversed the elevated mRNA and protein levels of PEPCK in liver from STZ-diabetic rats. This is consistent with findings that metformin restored the increased gene expression of PEPCK in liver from STZ-diabetic rats. However, the gene expression of PEPCK in STZ-diabetic rats was not influenced by similar treatment with Zou Guei. The present study found that oral administration of Quei Fu DHW could decrease hepatic gluconeogenesis in a way similar to metformin in lowering plasma glucose in diabetic rats lacking insulin. Thus, this preparation may be a helpful adjuvant for the treatment of diabetic disorders in clinical practice.