Effect of curcumin supplementation on blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucose homeostasis related enzyme activities in diabetic db/db mice

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research Vol. 52; no. 9; pp. 995 - 1004
• Main Authors: Seo, Kwon-Il, Choi, Myung-Sook, Jung, Un Ju, Kim, Hye-Jin, Yeo, Jiyoung, Jeon, Seon-Min, Lee, Mi-Kyung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley-VCH Verlag 01-09-2008; WILEY-VCH Verlag; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - drug effects; Adipose Tissue - enzymology; Animals; Antioxidant; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Curcumin; Curcumin - administration & dosage; Curcumin - pharmacology; Diabetes Mellitus - blood; Diabetes Mellitus - drug therapy; Dietary Supplements; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose homeostasis; Glucose Tolerance Test; Glycated Hemoglobin A - drug effects; Glycated Hemoglobin A - metabolism; Homeostasis; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Lipoprotein Lipase - drug effects; Lipoprotein Lipase - metabolism; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred Strains; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - enzymology; Type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.200700184

We investigated the effect of curcumin on insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis in male C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice and their age-matched lean non-diabetic db/+ mice. Both db/+ and db/db mice were fed with or without curcumin (0.02%, wt/wt) for 6 wks. Curcumin significantly lowered blood glucose and HbA₁c levels, and it suppressed body weight loss in db/db mice. Curcumin improved homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, and elevated the plasma insulin level in db/db mice. Hepatic glucokinase activity was significantly higher in the curcumin-supplemented db/db group than in the db/db group, whereas glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activities were significantly lower. In db/db mice, curcumin significantly lowered the hepatic activities of fatty acid synthase, β-oxidation, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme reductase, and acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase. Curcumin significantly lowered plasma free fatty acid, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations and increased the hepatic glycogen and skeletal muscle lipoprotein lipase in db/db mice. Curcumin normalized erythrocyte and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, gluthathione peroxidase) in db/db mice that resulted in a significant reduction in lipid peroxidation. However, curcumin showed no effect on the blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucose regulating enzyme activities in db/+ mice. These results suggest that curcumin seemed to be a potential glucose-lowering agent and antioxidant in type 2 diabetic db/db mice, but had no affect in non-diabetic db/+ mice.