Hypoglycemic effect of the fruit extracts of two varieties of Rubus rosifolius

Oral glucose tolerance test on male Sprague-Dawley rats was done to determine the hypoglycemic effect of the n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol fruit extracts (50 mg/kg BW; oral administration) of two varieties of Rubus rosifolius. Metformin was used as a positive control (15 mg/kg BW; intravenous administration). The n-hexane extract was most potent and was investigated phytochemically to yield compound 1, a mixture of triacylglycerols. In its oxidized state compound 1 produced a significant hypoglycemic effect which was more effective than metformin for the first 30 min of the assay (p = .03) and not significantly different for up to 120 min. Mechanisms through which the oxidized triacylglycerol species could form were explored and presented. This is the first account of the hypoglycemic activity of R. rosifolius and it is also the first account of this activity being credited to compounds other than polyphenols and terpenes in Rubus plants. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: A significant percentage of the world's population is affected by diabetes and diabetes-related illnesses. One of the most popular antidiabetic drug on the market is metformin which is used to lower blood glucose concentrations. The findings of this study indicate that an oxidized mixture of triacylglycerols is more fast-acting than metformin for the first 30 min of an oral glucose tolerance test. This effect was also not significantly different from that of the popular drug up to 120 min. These results demonstrate the hypoglycemic activity of an oxidized R. rosifolius fruit extract and indicate its potential use in applications such as functional food product development and drug discovery. Therapeutic applications can also include the plant extract as a potential primary treatment or as adjunct therapy to conventional medications.

Keywords: Rubus rosifolius; fatty acids; hypoglycemic effect; traditional medicine; triacylglycerol.