Glycaemic effects of tentacle extract of the jellyfish Acromitus rabanchatu (Annandale).

ABSTRACT

Tentacle extract of the common jellyfish A. rabanchatu, caused glycaemic alteration in fasting rabbits. Intravenous administration of the extract produced a significant rise followed by a significant fall in blood sugar level. Glucose tolerance in rabbits was also significantly increased. Extract-mediated hypoglycaemic response was fully abolished in alloxan diabetic rabbits. Preliminary separation on Sephadex G 50 indicated the hypoglycaemic factor to be a non-lethal protein of molecular weight less than 20 kDa. Heat treatment of extract and G 50 separated fraction P2 demonstrated total loss of hypoglycaemic activity.