P15 Effects of coptisine on glucose metabolism and the mechanisms

Abstract

Aim: Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread) has been widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries and has a variety of pharmacological effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of coptisine on glucose related metabolic regulation in vitro and in vivo . Methods: Normal ICR mice, alloxan-induced type 1 diabetic mice and type 2 diabetic mice (KKay mice) were employed to explore the effect of coptisine on glucose metabolism in vivo . Human hepatoma cells (HepG2) and rat skeletal muscle myotube cells (L6) were used to investigate the effect of coptisine on the glucose metabolism in vitro . Results: In normal ICR mice, coptisine (10 mg/kg) decreased the fasting and fed blood glucose significantly without any significant effect on body weight. In alloxan-induced type 1 diabetic mice, coptisine decreased fasting and fed blood glucose. In type 2 diabetic Kkay mice, coptisine improved insulin tolerance and glucose tolerance but did not change LDL, TG, HDL or CHO level in serum. Our in vitro results showed that coptisine increased the glucose consumption and glucose uptake in HepG2 cells and L6 myotube cells. Coptisine significantly increased ATP level in HepG2 cells and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, coptisine promoted hepatic mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase activity. Conclusion: In summary, coptisine has been shown to be effective in improving glucose metabolism in animal models. The effects of coptisine may be closely related with enhanced function of the mitochondria.