Polymethoxy flavones do not exert an inducing effect on the biosynthesis and secretion of insulin by pancreatic β-cells.

Polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), which are compounds characteristic of citrus plants, possess a wide range of biological properties, particularly affecting glucose and lipid metabolism. However, the mechanism underlying the antidiabetic activity of PMFs has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential effect of PMFs on the biosynthesis and secretion of insulin, which are crucial in diabetes. We investigated whether PMFs are able to induce insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells and observed that different concentrations (12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50 μg/ml) of PMFs exerted no effect on insulin synthesis and secretion in INS-1 cells, regardless of the glucose levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by PMFs is not mediated by directly affecting insulin synthesis or secretion. Therefore, further studies are required to elucidate the role of PMFs in diabetes.