Dear Colleagues,

A number of plant species worldwide are known to have hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic or both activities. Despite the presence of known anti-diabetic or anti-lipidemic medicines in the pharmaceutical market, search for new sources from natural plants or resources is still attractive, because they contain substances that have an alternative on diabetes mellitus and/or obesity. Numerous studies have been published, though, the natual compounds and their modes of action are not fully understood yet. The objective of this special issue is to provide high quality research results on novel findings of the effects and mechanisms of natural compounds on pathways involved in metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

Dr. Chang Won Choi
Guest Editor

Leading Papers and Reviews

• Visavadiya, N.P.; Narasimhacharya, A.V.R.L.; Hypocholesteremic and antioxidant effects of Withania somnifera (Dunal) in hypercholesteremic rats. Phytomedicine 2007, 14, 136-142.
• Chan, C.M.; Chan, Y.W.; Lau, C.H.; Lau, T.W.; Lau, K.M.; Lam, F.C.; Che, C.T.; Leung, P.C.; Fung, K.P.; Lau, C.B.S.; Ho, Y.Y.; Influence of an anti-diabetic foot ulcer formula and its component herbs on tissue and systemic glucose homeostasis. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 109, 10-20.
• Chenni, A.; Ait Yahia, D.; Boukortt, F.O.; Prost, J.; Lacaille-Dubois, M.A.; Bouchenak, M.; Effect of aqueous extract of Ajuga iva supplementation on plasma lipid profile and tissue antioxidant status in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 109, 207-213.
• Sánchez-Salgado, J.C.; Ortiz-Andrade, R.R.; Aguirre-Crespo, F.; Vergara-Galicia, J.; León-Rivera, I.; Montes, S.; Villalobos-Molina, R.; Estrada-Soto, S.; Hypoglycemic, vasorelaxant and hepatoprotective effects of Cochlospermum vitifolium (Willd.) Sprengel: A potential agent for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 109, 400-405.
• Kumari, K.; Augusti, K.T.; Lipid lowering effect of S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide from Allium cepa Linn in high cholesterol diet fed rats. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 109, 367-371.
• Choi, S.-E.; Shin, H.-C.; Kim, H.-E.; Lee, S.-J.; Jang, H.-J.; Lee, K.-W.; Kang, Y.; Involvement of Ca2+, CaMK II and PKA in EGb 761-induced insulin secretion in INS-1 cells. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 110, 49-55.
• Nakagawa, T.; Goto, H.; Hikiami, H.; Yokozawa, T.; Shibahara, N.; Shimada, Y.; Protective effects of keishibukuryogan on the kidney of spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rat. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 110, 311-317.
• Kim, C.-S.; Sohn, E.J.; Lim, Y. S.; Jung, D. H.; Jang, D.S.; Lee, Y.M.; Kim, D.-H.; Kim, J.S.; Effect of KIOM-79 on hyperglycemia and diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, 111, 240-247.
• Jung, H.-J.; Nam, J.-H.; Park, H.-J.; Lee, K.T.; Park, K.-K.; Kim, W.-B.; Choi, J.; The MeOH extract of Pleurospermum kamtschaticum and its active component buddlejasaponin (IV) inhibits intrinsic and extrinsic hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia in the rat. J. Ethnopharm. 2007, (in press).
• Gad, M.Z.; El-Sawalhi, M.M.; Ismail, M.F.; El-Tanbouly, N.D.; Biochemical study of the anti-diabetic action of the Egyptian plants Fenugreek and Balanites. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 2006, 281, 173-183.
• Abidi, P.; Chen, W.; Kraemer, F.B.; Li, H.; Liu, J.; The medicinal plant goldenseal is a natural LDL-lowering agent with multiple bioactive components and new action mechanisms. J. Lipid Res. 2006, 47, 2134-2147.
• Lemhadri, A.; Hajji, L.; Michel, J.-B.; Eddouks, M.; Cholesterol and triglycerides lowering activities of caraway fruits in normal and streptozotocin diabetic rats. J. Ethnopharm. 2006, 106, 321-326.
• Zeggwagh, N.-A.; Ouahidi, M.-L.; Lemhardi, A.; Eddouks, M.; Study of hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of Inula viscosa L. aqueous extract in normal and diabetic rats. J. Ethnopharm. 2006, 108, 223-227.
• Sharma, S.B.; Nasir, A.; Prabhu, K.M.; Murthy, P.S.; Antihyperglycemic effect of the fruit-pulp of Eugenia jambolana in experimental diabetes mellitus. J. Ethnopharm. 2006, 104, 367-373.
• Banskota, A.H.; Nguyen, N.T.; Tezuka, Y.; Nobukawa, T.; Kadota, S.; Hypoglycemic effects of the wood of Taxus yunnanensis on streoptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and its active components. Phytomedicine 2006, 13, 109-114.
• Ribnicky, D.M.; Poulev, A.; Watford, M.; Cefalu, W.T.; Raskin, I.; Antihyperglycemic activities of TarralinTM, an ethanolic extract of Artemisia dracunculus L. Phytomedicine 2006, 13, 550-557.
• Martineau, L.C.; Couture, A.; Spoor, D.; Benhaddou-Andaloussi, A.; Harris, C.; Meddah, B.; Leduc, C.; Burt, A.; Vuong, T.; Le, P.M.; Prentki, M.; Bennett, S.A,; Arnason, J.T.; Haddad, P.S.; Anti-diabetic properties of the Canadian lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. Phytomedicine 2006, 13, 612-623.
• Narendhirakannan, R.T.; Subramanian, S.; Kandaswamy, M.; Biochemical evaluation of antidiabetogenic properties of some commonly used Indian plants on streptozotocin-induced diabetes in experimental rats. Clin. Exp. Pharm. Physiol. 2006, 33, 1150-1157.
• Saravanan, R.; Pari, L.; Antihyperlipidemic and antiperoxidative effect of Diasulin, a polyherbal formulation in alloxan induced hyperglycemic rats. BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2005, 5, 14
• Han, L.-K.; Zheng, Y.-N.; Yoshikawa, M.; Okuda, H.; Kimura, Y.; Anti-obesity effects of chikusetsusaponins isolated from Panax japonicus rhizomes. BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2005, 5, 9
• Grover, J.K.; Vats, V.; Yadav, S.S.; Pterocarpus marsupium extract (Vijayasar) prevented the alteration in metabolic patterns induced in the normal rat by feeding an adequate diet containing fructose as sole carbohydrate. Diabetes, Obes. Metab. 2005, 7, 414-420.
• Mahomoodally, M.F.; Gurib-Fakim, A.; Subratty, A.H.; Experimental evidence for in vitro fluid transport in the presence of a traditional medicinal fruit extract across rat everted intestinal sacs. Fundamental Clinical Pharmacology 2004, 19, 87-92.
• Attele, A.S.; Zhou, Y.-P.; Xie, J.-T.; Wu, J.A.; Zhang, L.; Dey, L.; Pugh, W.; Rue, P.A.; Polonsky, K.S.; Yuan, C.-S,; Antidiabetic effects of Panax ginseng berry extract and the identification of an effective component. Diabetes 2002, 51, 1851-1858.
• Best, L.; Elliott, A.C.; Brown, P.D.; Curcumin induces electrical activity in rat pancreatic β-cells by activating the volume-regulated anion channel. Biochem. Pharmacol. 2007, 73, 1768-1775.
• Araszkiewicz, A.; Zozulińska, D.A.; Trepińska, M.M.; Wierusz-Wysocka, B.; Inflammatory markers as risk factors for microangiopathy in type 1 diabetic patients on functional intensive insulin therapy from the onset of the disease. Diab. Res. Clin. Pract. 2006, 74S, S34-S40.
• Wood, D.M.; Athwal, S.; Panahloo, A.; The advantage and disadvantages of a ‘herbal’ medicine in a patient with diabetes mellitus” a case report. Diabet. Med. 2004, 21, 625-627.
• de Galan, B.E.; Netea, M.G.; Smits, P.; van der Meer, J.W.M.; Hypoglycaemia downregulates endotoxin-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-α, but does not affect IL-1β, IL-6 or IL-10. Cytokine, 2003, 22, 71-76.
• Costantino, L.; Raimondi, L.; Pirisino, R.; Brunetti, T.; Pessotto, P.; Giannessi, F.; Lins, A.P.; Barlocco, D.; Antolini, L.; El-Abady, S.A.; Isolation and pharmacological activities of the Tecoma stans alkaloids. IL Farmaco, 2003, 58, 781-785.
• M’Bemba, J.; Cynober, L.; de Bandt, P.; Taverna, M.; Chevalier, A.; Bardin, C.; Slama, G.; Selam, J.L.; Effects of dipeptide administration on hypoglycaemic counterregulation in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Metab. 2003, 29, 412-417.
• Lindstöm, J.; Peltonen, M.; Eriksson, J.E.; Louheranta, A.; Fogelholm, M.; Uusitupa, M.; Tuomilehto, J.; High-fibre, low-fat diet predicts lomg-term weight loss and decreased type 2 diabetes risk: the Finnish diabetes prevention study. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 912-920.
• Wang, S.J.Y.; Birtles, S.; de Schoolmeester, J.; Swales, J.; Moody, G.; Hislop, D.; O’Dowd, J.; Smith, D.M.; Turnbull, A.V.; Arch, J.R.S.; Inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 reduces food intake and weight gain but maintains energy expenditure in diet-induced obese mice. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 1333-1337.
• Dorfmeister, B.; Brandlhofer, S.; Schaap, F.G.; Hermann, M.; Fürnsinn, C.; Hagerty, B.P.; Stangl, H.; Patsch, W.; Strobl, W.; Apolipoprotein AV does not contribute to hypertriglyceridaemia or triglyceride lowering by dietary fish oil and rosglitazone in obese Zucker rats. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 1324-1332
• Babaya, N.; Nakayama, M.; Moriyama, H.; Gianani, R.; Still, T.; Miao, D.; Yu, L.; Hutton, J.C.; Eisenbarth, G.S.; A new model of insulin-deficient diabetes: male NOD mice with a single copy of Ins1 and no Ins2. Diabetologia, 2006, 49, 1222-1228.
• Levy, E.; Spahis, S.; Ziv, E.; Marette, A.; Elchebly, M.; Lambert, M.; Delvin, E.; Overproduction of intestinal lipoprotein containing apolipoprotein B-48 in Psammomys obesus: impact of dietary n-3 fatty acids. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 1937-1945.
• Nolan, C.J.; Leahy, J.L.; Delghingaro-Augusto, V.; Moibi, J.; Soni, K.; Peyot, M.-L.; Fortier, M.; Guay, C.; Lamontagne, J.; Barbeau, A.; Przybytkowski, E.; Joly, E.; Masiello, P.; Wang, S.; Mitchell, G.A.; Prentki, M.; Beta cell compensation for insulin resistance in Zucker fatty rats: increased lipolysis and fatty acid signaling. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 2120-2130.
• Obrosova, I.G.; Drel, V.R.; Kumagai, A.K.; Szábo, C.; Pacher, P.; Stevens, M.J.; Early diabetes-induced biochemical changes in the retina: comparison of rat and mouse models. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 2525-2533.
• Bidel, S.; Hu, G.; Jousilahti, P.; Antikainen, R.; Tuomilehto, J.; Coffee consumption and risk of total and cardiovascular mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes; Diabetologia, 2006, 49, 2618-2626.
• Vieira, E.; Salehi, A.; Gylfe, E.; Glucose inhibits glucagon secretion by a direct effect on mouse pancreatic alpha cells. Diabetologia, 2007, 50, 370-379.
• Fyfe, M.C.T.; White, J.R.; Taylor, A.; Chatfield, R.; Wargent, E.; Printz, R.L.; Sulpice, T.; McCormack, J.G.; Procter, M.J.; Reynet, C.; Widdowson, P.S.; Wong-Kai-In, P.; Glucokinase activator PSN-GK1 displays enhanced antihyperglycaemic and insulinotropic actions. Diabetologia, 2007, 50, 1277-1287.
• Brennan, L.; Hewage, C.; Malthouse, J.P.G.; McClenaghan, N.H.; Flatt, P.R.; Newsholme, P.; Investigation of the effects of sulfonylurea exposure on pancreatic beta cell metabolism. FEBS Journal 2006, 273, 5160-5168.
• Sennoune, S.; Gerbi, A.; Duran, M.-J.; Grillasca, J.-P.; Compe, E.; Pierre, S.; Planells, R.; Bourdeaux, M.; Vague, P.; Pieroni, G.; Maixent, J.-M.; Effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on rat liver Na/K-ATPase. Eur. J. Biochem. 2000, 267, 2071-2078.
• Alexander-Lindo, R.L.; Morrison, E.Y.St.A.; Nair, M.G.; Hypoglycaemic effect of stigmast-4-en-3-one and its corresponding alcohol from the bark of Anacardium occidentale (Cashew). Phytother. Res. 2004, 18, 403-407.
• Laurenz, J.C.; Collier, C.C.; Kuti, J.O.; Hypoglycaemic effect of Opuntia lindheimeri Englem. In a diabetic pig model. Phytother. Res. 2003, 17, 26-29.
• Johnson, L.; Strich, H.; Taylor, A.; Timmermann, B.; Malone, D.; Teufel-Shone, N.; Drummond, R.; Woosley, R.; Pereira, E.; Martinez, A.; Use of herbal remedies by diabetic Hispanic women in the Southwestern United States. Phytother. Res. 2006, 20, 250-255.
• Donati, D.; Lampariello, L.R.; Pagani, R.; Guerranti, R.; Cinci, G.; Marinello, E.; Antidiabetic oligocyclitols in seeds of Mucuna pruriens. Phytother. Res. 2005, 19, 1057-1060.
• Martins, A.; Wink, M.; Tei, A.; Brum-Bousquet, M.; Tillequin, F.; Rauter, A.-P.; A phytochemical study of the quinolizidine alkaloids from Genista tenera by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Phytochem. Anal. 2005, 16, 264-266
• Verspohl, E.J.; Bauer, K.; Neddermann, E.; Antidiabetic effect of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum in vivo and in vitro. Phytother. Res. 2005, 19, 203-206.

Review Papers

• Andrade-Cetto, A.; Heinrich, M.; Mexican plants with hypoglycaemic effect used in the treatment of diabetes. J. Ethnopharm. 2005, 99, 325-348.
• Stintzing, F.C.; Carle, R.; Cactus stems (Opuntia spp.): A review on their chemistry, technology, and uses. Mol. Nutr. Food Res., 2005, 49, 175-194.
• Yeh, G.Y.; Kaptchuk, T.H.; Eisenberg, D.M.; Phillips, R.S.; Systematic review of herbs and supplements for glycemic control in diabetes. Diabetes Care 2003, 26, 1277-1294.
• Szkudelski, T.; The mechanism of alloxan and streptozotocin action in B cells of the rat pancreas. Physiol. Res. 2001, 536-546.
• Burge, M.R.; Sood, V.; Sobhy, T.A.; Rassam, A.G.; Schade, D.S.; Sulphonylurea-induced hypoglycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a review. Diabet. Obes. Metab. 1999, 1, 199-206.
• Giacco, R.; Clemente, G.; Riccardi, G.; Dietary fibre in treatment of diabetes: myth or reality. Digest. Liver Dis. 2002, 34, S140-144.
• Weickert, M.O.; Pfeiffer, A.F.H.; Signalling mechanisms linking hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. Diabetologia 2006, 49, 1732-1741.
• Pawa, M.; Use of traditional/herbal remedies by Indo-Asian people with type 2 diabetes. Pract. Diab. Int. 2005, 22, 292-294.
• Mentreddy, S.R.; Medicinal plant species with potential antidiabetic properties. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2007, 87, 743-750.

• Diabetes Mellitus
• glucose metabolism
• glycaemic control
• hypoglycaemic
• hypolipidemic
• antihyperlipidemic
• antihypercholesterolemia
• insulin resistance
• cholesterol
• triglycerides