Antihyperglycemic effect of Inonotus Obliquus Extracts in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic mice

Abstract

Background: The Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a medicinal mushroom that is a white parasitic fungus that grows on mature birch and is widely used as a folk medicine for treating many diseases. Extracts from this mushroom have been reported to possess anticancer and antioxidant properties. There have been several studies on the antihyperglycemic effect of Inonotus obliquus. There has been no research on the antihyperglycemic activity of inonotus obliquus grown in our country, which is the reason for conducting this study. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic hypolipidemic, and pancreatic protective effects of water extract of Mongolian natural Inonotus obliquus on alloxan-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus in mice. Materials and Methods: Alloxan monohydrate (200 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally in C57BL/6 mice to induce diabetes. Alloxan diabetic mice were orally administered with water extract of inonotus obliquus (WEIO) at doses of 500 mg/kg and administered subcutaneously insulatard 0.6 IU, for 4 weeks, following which the levels of factors associated with blood glucose, insulin and lipids were determined. The anti diabetic activities of water extract of inonotus obliquus were further confirmed via an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Results: Results showed that oral administration of WEIO (500 mg/kg) could significantly restore body weight, reduce fasting blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance ability, and increase the insulin level compared to those of the control diabetic mice (P<0.01). WEIO (500 mg/kg) could enhance the cholesterol transportation in the liver, which was in coincidence with the increased HDL-C levels (78.43, P<0.01) and decreased TC, TG and LDL-C levels (25.56%, 41.54%, 27.1%, P<0.01). Histologic and morphology examinations showed that WEIO alleviated the damage to pancreas tissues in alloxan diabetic mice. Conclusion: We postulate that water extracts of Inonotus obliquus have an antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effect that enhances islet cell function in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.