Anti-diabetic effects of lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis) essential oil on glucose- and lipid-regulating enzymes in type 2 diabetic mice

Br J Nutr. 2010 Jul;104(2):180-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510001765. Epub 2010 May 21.

Abstract

The antioxidant activity of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) essential oil (LBEO) on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and its hypoglycaemic effect in db/db mice were investigated. LBEO scavenged 97 % of DPPH radicals at a 270-fold dilution. Mice administered LBEO (0.015 mg/d) for 6 weeks showed significantly reduced blood glucose (65 %; P < 0.05) and TAG concentrations, improved glucose tolerance, as assessed by an oral glucose tolerance test, and significantly higher serum insulin levels, compared with the control group. The hypoglycaemic mechanism of LBEO was further explored via gene and protein expression analyses using RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Among all glucose metabolism-related genes studied, hepatic glucokinase and GLUT4, as well as adipocyte GLUT4, PPAR-gamma, PPAR-alpha and SREBP-1c expression, were significantly up-regulated, whereas glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase expression was down-regulated in the livers of the LBEO group. The results further suggest that LBEO administered at low concentrations is an efficient hypoglycaemic agent, probably due to enhanced glucose uptake and metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue and the inhibition of gluconeogenesis in the liver.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / enzymology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects
  • Glucokinase / drug effects
  • Glucokinase / genetics
  • Glucokinase / metabolism
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / drug effects
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / genetics
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / metabolism
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / drug effects
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / genetics
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Insulin / blood
  • Lipid Metabolism / drug effects*
  • Melissa / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Oils, Volatile / therapeutic use
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / drug effects
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / genetics
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / metabolism
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) / drug effects
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) / genetics
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) / metabolism
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Oils / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology*
  • Plant Oils / therapeutic use
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / drug effects
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / genetics
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative
  • Insulin
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
  • Plant Oils
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1
  • Glucokinase
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP)