Anti-diabetic effects of pentamethylquercetin in neonatally streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Pentamethylquercetin (PMQ), a methylated quercetin derivative, was screened for anti-diabetic effects in neonatally streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats (n-STZ diabetic rats). Streptozotocin (90 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to 2-day-old male pups to induce diabetes. PMQ was administered at doses of 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day orally when the rats were 6 weeks old and continued for 10 consecutive weeks. Body weights were followed. Fasting and fed glucose, triglyceride and insulin levels were monitored periodically at the 6th and 10th week after PMQ treatment. At the end of the study, oral glucose tolerance test was performed, and kidney and liver function parameters were assayed. It was found that PMQ intervention dose-dependently reduced postprandial glucose and triglyceride levels, prevented the onset of overt diabetes, ameliorated polydipsia symptom induced by diabetes, attenuated glucose intolerance, enhanced insulin sensitivity indices and decreased endogenous creatinine clearance rate, urinary albumin excretion rate and blood alanine aminotransferase levels of n-STZ diabetic rats in comparison to their diabetic counterparts. The results from the present study thus suggest that PMQ exhibits great potential as an antidiabetic agent by improving hyperglycemia and reducing the incidence of peripheral complications. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.