Metabolic Effects of Glucose Lowering Substance of Urtica Dioica on Normal and Diabetic Mice, and Patients with Type I Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: Urtica dioica is a plant that is used as an edible herb with capability of lowering blood glucose. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of extracted and purified blood glucose lowering substance (BGLS) of Urtica Dioica on mice and then in patients with type I diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: The effective substance of the extract was prepared and identified by thin layer chromatography method and then by gel filtration, Fourier transform infra red, mass spectrometry gas chromatography and paper chromatography after acid hydrolysis. Different case control studies were done by this substance on mice. Eight hours before and during the tests all of the mice were fasted. At the first stage 4 separate studies, each in 3 groups of normal mice were done, and blood glucose (BG), liver glycogen, serum insulin and muscle lactic acid were measured after intraperitoneal (ip) injection of BGLS in the first group, distilled water in second group and no injection in the third group. At second stage 20 mice became diabetic by administration of streptozotocin and then divided into two even case and control groups and blood glucose (BG) was measured before and after ip injection of BGLS. At the third stage, BG was measured before and after oral administration of BGLS to normal mice. At fourth stage LD50 of substance was identified in mice and at the 5th stage, in a short 2 day study on 8 patients, the effect of oral administration of one dose of BGLS at 00:07 h on the second day was evaluated. Results: In the first stage, BG of the first group with the mean of 76 ± 5 mg/dL was significantly lower than the second and third groups (108±8 mg/d and 105±9 mg/dL, respectively; p