Antioxidant activity and glucose transport effect in 3T3-L1 and L6 cells of Nelumbo nucifera root extract

Rhizome of Nelumbo nucifera Gaerth was long been used by Thai traditional doctors for treatment diabetic patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro antioxidant activity and glucose transporter effect in adiposite cells (3T3-L1) and muscle cells (L6) of its ethanolic extract. The DPPH and inhibition of lipid peroxidation assay were used for determination of antioxidant activities [1,2]. The glucose uptake of radioactive 2-deoxyglucose in L6 and 3T3-L1 cells were used to measure the glucose transporter in both types of cells[3]. The EC₅₀ of antioxidant activity by DPPH assay and inhibition of lipid peroxidation on liposome assay of its extract were 4.89 and 5.18 µg/ml respectively. The glucose transporter activity of Nelumbo nucifera extract in both L6 and 3T3-L1 showed glucose uptake increasing level by fold of basal. The ethanolic extract at concentration 0.1 µg/ml exhibited the highest glucose uptake level by 1.47 fold in L6-muscle and 1.69 fold in 3T3-L1 adiposite cells respectively. This result can support using the ethanolic extract of Nelumbo nucifera as antioxidant and glucose transporter drug on glucose uptake in both muscle and adipose cells. The further isolation of antioxidant and glucose transporter compounds from this plant should be researched and antihyperglycemic activity in animal model should be investigated.

References:

[1] Uchiyama M and Mihara M. (1978). Analytical Biochemistry. 86: 271 – 8.

[2] Yamasaki K et al.,(1994). Chem. Pharm. Bull. 42:1663 – 5.

[3] Nicky K. and Juan C, (2009) Methods in molecular biology 560: 111 – 35