Anti-hyperglycemic effect of fermented ginseng in type 2 diabetes mellitus mouse model

Ginseng has shown an efficacy in preventing and managing various health conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the fermented ginseng extract (FGE) in type 2 diabetes mellitus murine model. FGE was provided to male C57BL/ksJ-db/db mice for 8 weeks at 0.1% (w/w) dose in contrast to water for the control group. Potential anti-diabetic mechanisms were investigated with blood glucose, serum insulin, serum adiponectin, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), glucose tolerance, insulin secretion assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Compared with the control group, the FGE group had lower levels of blood glucose after 6 and 9 h fasting, HbA1c, and the area under the curve in an oral glucose tolerance test and higher levels of adiponectin and serum insulin (p < 0.05). The FGE group had higher levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 and glucose transporter protein 2 mRNAs, a lower level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (p < 0.05), and less lymphocytes in pancreas than the control group had. The FGE exerted anti-diabetic effects in type 2 diabetic mice.