EFFECTS OF BRAZILIN ON GLUCOSE-OXIDATION, LIPOGENESIS AND THEREIN INVOLVED ENZYMES IN ADIPOSE TISSUES FROM DIABETIC KK-MICE

In order to address the hypoglycemic mechanism ot brazilin, effects on glucose metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue from diabetic KK-mice were investigated. Brazilin remarkably lowered non fasting plasma glucose level without any changes in plasma insulin level. Brazilin significantly increased the rate of glucose oxidation and lipogenesis only in the presence ot insulin. Activities ot glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase and fatty acid synthetase, involved in glucose oxidation and lipogenesis respectively, were significantly increased. These results suggest that brazilin might exert hypoglycemic action in insulin resistance state by, at least in part, regulating the enzymatic reaction process involved in glucose metabolism.