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Study Title:

Pterocarpus Marsupium Supports Insulin Function

Study Abstract

Water extract of the bark of plant of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb is used as an antidiabetic drug in indigenous medicine in India. (-) Epicatechin, its active principle, has been found to be insulinogenic. The present in vitro study reports some insulin like activities of (-) epicatechin. Like insulin, (-) epicatechin stimulates oxygen uptake in fat cells and tissue slices of various organs, increases glycogen content of rat diaphragm in dose-dependent manner with corresponding increase in U14-C glucose uptake, and inhibits theophylline induced lipolysis in isolated fat pads in dose-dependent manner. Experiments on competitive binding of 125I-insulin and (-) epicatechin to liver cell plasma membrane indicate that insulin does not share binding site with (-) epicatechin. (-) Epicatechin at a concentration of up to 1 mM does not effect the release of glucagon from the islets in vitro. Thus, (-) epicatechin has insulinogenic as well as insulin like properties.

Study Information

Ahmad F, Khalid P, Khan MM, Rastogi AK, Kidwai JR.
Insulin like activity in (-) epicatechin.
Acta Diabetol Lat.
1989 December
Division of Biochemistry, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.