Anti-diabetic Activity of Polysaccharide from Salicornia herbacea

The present study investigated the effect of physiologically active polysaccharide (SP1) isolated from Salicornia herbacea on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Male Spraque-Dawley rats were divided into four groups which were normal control group (NC), diabetic control group (DC), diabetic CSP group (DCSP), and diabetic SP1 group (DSP1). Animals were administrated with 2% experimental drinks for 6 weeks. The levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in the serum were measured before and after intake of test compounds. The levels of glucose and triglyceride in the DSP1 were significantly lower than those in the DC by 25% and 20%, respectively. The levels of total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in the DSP1 were similar to those in the DC. These results suggest that SP1 substantially exhibit anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypertriglyceridemic activity in diabetic rats. Therefore SP1 is believed to show remarkable anti-diabetic effect on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.