Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2010; 118(9): 617-624
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1237703
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effects of Glycyrrhizic acid on 11 β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (11 βHSD1 and 2) Activities and HOMA-IR in Rats at Different Treatment Periods

Y. Y. Yin1 , S. H. Ton1 , K. B. A. Kadir2
  • 1School of Sciences, Monash University, Sunway Campus, Malaysia
  • 2School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Sunway Campus, Malaysia
Further Information

Publication History

received 03.05.2009 first decision 30.06.2009

accepted 30.06.2009

Publication Date:
08 December 2009 (online)

Abstract

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) has been reported to inhibit postprandial blood glucose rise and 11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11 βHSD1) activity. As not much work has been done on GA effects on 11 βHSD1 and 2 and HOMA-IR at different treatment periods, this work was conducted. 60 male Sprague Dawley rats fed ad libitum were assigned into six groups of control and treated that were given GA at different duration namely 12, 24 and 48 h. Treated and control groups were intraperitoneally administered with GA (50 mgkg−1) and saline respectively. Blood and subcutaneous (ATS) and visceral adipose tissue (ATV), abdominal (MA) and quadriceps femoris muscle (MT), liver (L) and kidney (K) were examined. HOMA-IR in GA-treated rats decreased in all groups (p<0.05). In the 12-h and 24-h treated rats, 11 βHSD1 activities decreased in all tissues (p<0.05) except MA and MT (p>0.05) in the former and ATV (p>0.05) in the latter. However, 11 βHSD1 activities decreased significantly in all tissues (p<0.05) in the 48-h treated rats. Significant decrease in 11 βHSD2 (p>0.05) activities were observed in the L of all treatment groups and K in the 24-h and 48-h treated rats (p<0.05). Histological analysis on ATS showed increase in the number of small-size adipocytes while ATV adipocytes showed shrinkage after GA administration. Increased glycogen deposition in the L was observed in the GA-administered rats in all the treatment periods. In conclusion, GA treatment showed a decrease in the HOMA-IR and both 11 βHSD1 and 2 activities in all tissues, with more profound decrease in the 48-h treated rats.

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Correspondence

Y. Y. Yin

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