HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT OF THE RHIZOMES OF SMILAX-GLABRA IN NORMAL AND DIABETIC MICE

The hypoglycemic effect of the rhizomes of Smilax glabra ROXBURGH (Lil iaceae) was investigated in normal and KK-Ay mice, one of the animal m odels of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with hyperins ulinemia. The methanol extract of rhizomes of Smilax glabra ROXBURGH ( SM, 100 mg/kg body weight) reduced the blood glucose of normal mice 4 h after intraperitoneal administration (p < 0.05), and also significan tly lowered the blood glucose of KK-Ay mice under similar conditions ( p < 0.001), However, SM did not affect the blood glucose in streptozot ocin-induced diabetic mice, one of the animal models of insulin-depend ent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) with hypoinsulinemia. SM also suppressed epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia in mice. SM-treated KK-Ay mice signi ficantly decreased the blood glucose in an insulin tolerance test. We concluded that the hypoglycemic effect of SM raised insulin sensitivit y.