ACTIONS OF THE TRADITIONAL ANTIDIABETIC PLANT, AGRIMONY EUPATORIA (AGRIMONY) - EFFECTS ON HYPERGLYCEMIA, CELLULAR GLUCOSE-METABOLISM AND INSULIN-SECRETION

Agrimony eupatoria (agrimony) has been documented as a traditional tre atment of diabetes. Here, the effects of dietary administration of agr imony on streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice and on in vitro glucose up take and glucose metabolism, and on insulin secretion by BRIN-BD11 cel ls were investigated. Agrimony incorporated into the diet (62.5 g/kg) and drinking water (2.5 g/l) countered the weight loss, polydipsia, hy perphagia and hyperglycaemia of STZ-diabetic mice. Aqueous extract of agrimony (1 mg/ml) stimulated 2-deoxy-glucose transport (1.4-fold), gl ucose oxidation (1.4-fold) and incorporation of glucose into glycogen (2.0-fold) in mouse abdominal muscle comparable with 0.1 mu M-insulin. In acute 20 min tests, 0.25-1 mg/ml aqueous extract of agrimony evoke d a stepwise 1.9-3.8-fold stimulation of insulin secretion from the BR IN-BD11 pancreatic B-cell line. This effect was abolished by 0.5 mM-di azoxide and previous exposure to extract did not adversely affect subs equent stimulation of insulin secretion by 10 mM-L-alanine, thereby in dicating that there was no detrimental effect of the extract on cell v iability. The effect of extract was glucose-independent and was not ev ident in BRIN-BD11 cells exposed to a depolarizing concentration of KC I. The ability of agrimony extract to enhance insulin secretion was de pendent on use of heat during extract preparation. These results demon strate the presence of antihyperglycaemic, insulin-releasing and insul in-like activity in Agrimony eupatoria.