EFFECTS OF COLUPULONE, A COMPONENT OF HOPS AND BREWERS-YEAST, AND CHROMIUM ON GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE AND HEPATIC CYTOCHROME-P450 IN NONDIABETIC AND SPONTANEOUSLY DIABETIC MICE

Brewers yeast contains factors that increase and decrease glucose tole rance. Hop components (lupulones) that adhere to yeast during the brew ing process elicit a variety of biological effects including the induc tion of hepatic cytochrome P4503A. Colupulone was tested for its effec ts on glucose tolerance and cytochrome P450. Serum glucose levels 30 m in after the injection of glucose were lowered by colupulone in nondia betic Swiss-Webster mice, elevated in diabetic C57Bl/KSJ-db/db mice, a nd unaffected in nondiabetic C57Bl/KSJ+m/+m mice. Colupulone lowered h emoglobin glycation slightly in +m/+m mice but not in db/db mice. The cytochrome P450 system was highly induced by colupulone in both db/db and +m/+m mice. Chromium, which acts in concert with the factor in yea st that enhances glucose tolerance, had little or no effect on the pla sma glucose level or the cytochrome P450 system in either +m/+m Or db/ db mice. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.