Does Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. enhance GLUT4 translocation in the skeletal muscle of induced type II diabetic rats

Background: GLUT4 acts as the insulin-responsive glucose transporter, thus promoting the uptake of glucose from circulation into muscle and adipose tissue. Aims and Objectives: The present study was conducted to determine the effect Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. extract on GLUT4 translocation in the skeletal muscle of type II diabetic rats using immunofluorescent technique. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats aged 10 weeks (180–220 g) were divided into four groups: Normal control group (vehicle receiving group), positive control group (diabetic rats treated with 5 mg/kg metformin), negative control group (diabetic rats not receiving any treatment), and treated group (diabetic rats treated with 1 g/kg O. stamineus Benth. aqueous leaf extract). The rats were treated daily for 14 days where the fasting blood glucose level was measured daily; meanwhile, serum insulin was measured before (after injected with STZ-NAD) and after they get treated (at the end of 14 days). At the end of the treatment, the rats were sacrificed and soleus muscles were dissected, fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and processed for immunofluorescence technique. Results: The findings showed significantly reduced (P < 0.01) mean fasting glucose concentration in positive control and treated groups. Relative pancreas weight and serum plasma concentration were similar in all groups. In the diabetic rats treated with O. stamineus Benth., improvement in the translocation activity of GLUT4 was observed. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that O. stamineus Benth. has the potential in the treatment of Type II diabetes mellitus though the improvement of GLUT4 translocation activity.