PUBLICATION

Crocins from Crocus sativus L. in the Management of Hyperglycemia. In Vivo Evidence from Zebrafish

Authors
Kakouri, E., Agalou, A., Kanakis, C., Beis, D., Tarantilis, P.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-201120-108
Date
2020
Source
Molecules   25(22): (Journal)
Registered Authors
Beis, Dimitris
Keywords
crocins, glucose, insulin, pck1, β-pancreatic cells
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Blood Glucose/metabolism
  • Carotenoids/analysis
  • Carotenoids/pharmacology*
  • Crocus/chemistry*
  • Gluconeogenesis
  • Glucose/metabolism
  • Hyperglycemia/drug therapy*
  • Insulin/metabolism
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells/metabolism
  • Ions
  • Pancreas/embryology
  • Pancreas/metabolism
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP)/metabolism
  • Plant Extracts/pharmacology
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
33182581 Full text @ Molecules
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by persistent high blood glucose levels and accompanied by impaired metabolic pathways. In this study, we used zebrafish to investigate the effect of crocins isolated from Crocus sativus L., on the control of glucose levels and pancreatic β-cells. Embryos were exposed to an aqueous solution of crocins and whole embryo glucose levels were measured at 48 h post-treatment. We showed that the application of crocins reduces zebrafish embryo glucose levels and enhances insulin expression. We also examined whether crocins are implicated in the metabolic pathway of gluconeogenesis. We showed that following a single application of crocins and glucose level reduction, the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase1 (pck1), a key gene involved in glucose metabolism, is increased. We propose a putative role for the crocins in glucose metabolism and insulin management.
Genes / Markers
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Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping