In vivo evaluation of hypoglycemic activity of Aloe spp. and identification of its mode of action on GLUT-4 gene expression in vitro.

The present study evaluated the hypoglycemic activity of Aloe extract on streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice and focuses its effect on GLUT-4 gene expression under in vitro cell-culture system. Administration of extract at the dosage of 130 mg/kg body weight per day for 4 weeks resulted in significant decrease in blood glucose and total cholesterol in streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight) induced diabetic mice. The hypoglycemic effect was compared with metformin. The activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes were brought back to near normal level after the treatment and glucose homeostasis was maintained. Lyophilized aqueous Aloe extract (1 mg/ml) upregulated the GLUT-4 mRNA synthesis in mouse embryonic NIH/3T3 cells.