ABSTRACT
The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect of continuous intravenous infusion of a lyophilised aqueous extract of the whole plant Ajuga iva [L.] Schreber [Labiatae] [Al-extract] was investigated in anesthetized normal and streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats. The Al-extract was administered to a group of rats by continuous intravenous infusion for 4 h at a dose of 4.2 microg/min/l00g body weight; another group was infused with taurine, the reference compound, at the same dose. In normal rats, Al-extract infusion had no effect on plasma glucose or triglycerides, but plasma cholesterol levels were significantly decreased [22%; P<0.05]. However, taurine infusion produced significant hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic effects [all changes, P<0.05]. In STZ-diabetic rats, Al-extract infusion reduced plasma levels of glucose by 24% [P<0.05], cholesterol by 35% [P<0.01] and triglycerides by 13% [P<0.05]. Infusion with taurine produced a greater fall in plasma glucose [72%, P<0.01], cholesterol [54%; P < 0.001] and triglyceride [24%; P < 0.001] levels. Our results indicate that intravenously administered Al-extract exerts hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in diabetic rats by mechanism [s] which appear to be similar to that of taurine, which involve insulin sensitization or an insulin-like effect. The identity and the exact mechanism [s] of action of the active component [s] of the Al-extract are not known. Ajuga iva appears to be a useful plant in the therapy of diabetes, a condition in which hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia coexist quite often