Exploration of the GLUT-4 Modulation Potential of Gynura procumbens as a Mechanism Behind its Antidiabetic Activity

Abstract

The search for antidiabetic drugs from natural sources has been carried out since diabetes has become a prevalent chronic disease, whose conventional therapy causes several complications in long-term use. Gynura procumbens (GP), a well-known herb for its various activities, has shown promising results against diabetes in several studies. To find whether the mechanism of activity behind this antidiabetic effect is underpinned by the upregulation of a particular glucose transporter (GLUT-4), this experiment was conducted. The GLUT-4 expression levels in Alloxan-induced diabetic rats were compared with untreated healthy rats and rats treated with different doses of G. procumbens extract using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specified for rat GLUT-4. All four test groups including the metformin control group showed elevated expression of GLUT-4 in the liver tissue compared to the diabetic control group (p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA). The serum-glucose modulatory antidiabetic activity of ethanolic extract of G. procumbens was therefore mediated though the upregulation of GLUT-4 expression, and consequent increased uptake of glucose.