Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:645812. doi: 10.1155/2014/645812. Epub 2014 Jun 10.

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) Exhibits Antidiabetic Activities in a Mouse Model of Diet-Induced Obesity.

Eid HM1, Ouchfoun M2, Brault A2, Vallerand D2, Musallam L2, Arnason JT3, Haddad PS2.

• 1Natural Health Products and Metabolic Diseases Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, University of Montreal, Station Centre-Ville, P.O. Box 6128, Montreal, QC, Canada H3C 3J7 ; Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plant and Ethnopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5 ; Canadian Institutes of Health Research Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines and Montreal Diabetes Research Center, Canada ; Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Beni Suef, Beni Suef 62511, Egypt.
• 2Natural Health Products and Metabolic Diseases Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, University of Montreal, Station Centre-Ville, P.O. Box 6128, Montreal, QC, Canada H3C 3J7 ; Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plant and Ethnopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5 ; Canadian Institutes of Health Research Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines and Montreal Diabetes Research Center, Canada.
• 3Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plant and Ethnopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5 ; Canadian Institutes of Health Research Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines and Montreal Diabetes Research Center, Canada.

Abstract

Vaccinium vitis-idaea, commonly known as lingonberry, has been identified among species used by the Cree of Eeyou Istchee of northern Quebec to treat symptoms of diabetes.

In a previous study, the ethanol extract of berries of V. vitis-idaea enhanced glucose uptake in C2C12 muscle cells via stimulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of plant extract in a dietary mouse model of mild type 2 diabetes.

C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD, ∼35% lipids) for 8 weeks that become obese and insulin-resistant (diet-induced obesity, DIO) were used. Treatment began by adding V. vitis-idaea extract to HFD at 3 different concentrations (125, 250, and 500 mg/Kg) for a subsequent period of 8 weeks (total HFD, 16 weeks). The plant extract significantly decreased glycemia and strongly tended to decrease insulin levels in this model. This was correlated with a significant increase in GLUT4 content and activation of the AMPK and Akt pathways in skeletal muscle. V. vitis-idaea treatment also improved hepatic steatosis by decreasing hepatic triglyceride levels and significantly activated liver AMPK and Akt pathways.

The results of the present study confirm that V. vitis-idaea represents a culturally relevant treatment option for Cree diabetics and pave the way to clinical studies.

PMID:

25013446