Preclinical evidence of Malay traditional herbal supplement for diabetes

Abstract

In this report, one herbal folk recipe traditional claim for diabetes treatment, jamu KM is subjected to scientific studies. The exposure of traditional diabetes decoction, KM extract to 3T3-L1 at 1 mg mL-1 shows significant increase in glucose uptake with no LD50 value. 150 μg mL-1 methanolic extract of Jamu KM yield intense lipid droplet accumulation in non-insulin induced adipocytes 3T3-L1. Further investigation through in vivo study of KM extract using diabetic Spraque Dawley rats indicates reduction in blood glucose at the concentration of 0.05 g kg-1 body weight (bwt). A similar response was observed with the treatment using glibenclamide at 0.006 g kg-1 bwt. Histopathological data show increase in the relative organ weight (g 100 g-1 bwt) of liver and kidney of all diabetic rats as compared to normal group while pancreas was not affected. However, glibenclamide treated group shows 14 and 15% larger liver and kidney, respectively, than the other diabetic groups and jamu KM treated. This finding is a promising approach in validation of herbal medication from the past wisdom through modern techniques.