Hypolipidemic effect of Salicornia herbacea in animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus

To control blood glucose level as close to normal is a major goal of treatment of diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are the major risk factors for cardiovascular complications, the major cause of immature death among the patients with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study is to determine the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Salicornia herbacea in animal model of type 2 diabetes and to investigate the possible mechanisms for the beneficial effects of S. herbacea. S. herbacea was extracted with 70% ethanol and desalted with 100% ethanol. Three week-old db/db mice (C57BL/KsJ, n=16) were fed AIN-93G semipurified diet or diet containing 1% desalted ethanol extract of S. herbacea for 6 weeks after 1 week of adaptation. Fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol were measured by enzymatic methods and blood glycated hemoglobin (HbA∧1C) by the chromatographic method.