Planta Med 2015; 81(03): 208-214
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1396201
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Ethanolic Extract of Allium cepa Stimulates Glucose Transporter Typ 4-Mediated Glucose Uptake by the Activation of Insulin Signaling

Sudeep Gautam
1   Division of Biochemistry, CSIR – Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
,
Savita Pal
1   Division of Biochemistry, CSIR – Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
,
Rakesh Maurya
2   Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR – Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
,
Arvind K. Srivastava
1   Division of Biochemistry, CSIR – Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 09 April 2014
revised 04 November 2014

accepted 29 November 2014

Publication Date:
05 February 2015 (online)

Abstract

The present work was undertaken to investigate the effects and the molecular mechanism of the standardized ethanolic extract of Allium cepa (onion) on the glucose transport for controlling diabetes mellitus. A. cepa stimulates glucose uptake by the rat skeletal muscle cells (L6 myotubes) in both time- and dose-dependent manners. This effect was shown to be mediated by the increased translocation of glucose transporter typ 4 protein from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane as well as the synthesis of glucose transporter typ 4 protein. The effect of A. cepa extract on glucose transport was stymied by wortmannin, genistein, and AI½. In vitro phosphorylation analysis revealed that, like insulin, A. cepa extract also enhances the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor-β, insulin receptor substrate-1, and the serine phosphorylation of Akt under both basal and insulin-stimulated conditions without affecting the total amount of these proteins. Furthermore, it is also shown that the activation of Akt is indispensable for the A. cepa-induced glucose uptake in L6 myotubes. Taken together, these findings provide ample evidence that the ethanolic extract of A. cepa stimulates glucose transporter typ 4 translocation-mediated glucose uptake by the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase/Akt dependent pathway.

Supporting Information

 
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