Source
Food Convergence Technology Division, Korea Food Research Institute, Kyonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Korean red ginseng (KRG), one of heat-processed Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), has a long history as herbal remedy for antidiabetic effect.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
The effect and mechanism of KRG on stimulation of insulin release were investigated in isolated rat pancreatic islets.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Pancreatic islets isolated from rats were used to evaluate the insulinotropic action of KRG. The effect of Ca on the insulinotropic action of KRG was investigated.
RESULTS:
The aqueous ethanolic extract of KRG (AEE-KRG) (0.1-1.0mg/ml) significantly evoked a stimulation of insulin release at 3.3mM glucose compared to the control. Experiments at different glucose concentrations (8.4 and 16.7mM) showed that AEE-KRG significantly stimulated on its own whereas it did not potentiate insulin secretion induced by glucose. The extracellular Ca(2+)-free condition, a L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker and an ATP-sensitive K(+) channel opener significantly inhibited insulin secretion evoked by AEE-KRG.
CONCLUSION:
These findings suggest that KRG displays beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetes at least in part via the stimulation of insulin release in a glucose-independent manner.