Lowering effect of phenolic glycosides on the rise in postprandial glucose in mice

Glycosides were screened for their lowering effect on the postprandial blood glucose rise in vivo. The effect of phlorizin and other phenolic glycosides on the postprandial blood glucose response to glucose ingestion was evaluated in Std ddY mice. When phlorizin was simultaneously added, the peak blood glucose level was significantly decreased by 51% (p < 0.01) compared to vehicles following glucose ingestion by mice, while the blood insulin responses were generally similar. Screening experiments were conducted with different classes of phenolic glycosides added to a glucose solution. Reductions of 40-52% (p < 0.05) were observed in vehicles containing arbutin, 4-hydroxyphenyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (hydroquinone-alpha-glucoside) or glycyrrhizin, and of only 15-31% (not significant) in vehicles containing neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, glycyrrhetinic acid monoglucuronide, or 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside. No lowering effect was observed in vehicles containing salicin. Since glycyrrhizin, arbutin, and hydroquinone-alpha-glucoside blunted to varying degrees the postprandial blood glucose rise following glucose ingestion, they may be useful adjuvants for the treatment of diabetic subjects.