Abstract:Objective: To investigate the effects of artemisinin and its derivatives on blood glucose, body weight and expression of inflammatory factors in db/db mice. Methods: Five healthy db/m mice aged 4-6 weeks were collected as the normal control group with responsive feeding. Twenty db/db mice were randomized into four groups: the placebo group, the artemisinin group, the artemether group and the artesunate group, with five mice in each group. The placebo group was administrated with hydroxymethylcellulose daily, and the intervention group was administrated with artemisinin[200 mg/ (kg·d)], artemether[200 mg/ (kg·d)] and artesunate[200 mg/ (kg·d)] for 10 weeks. The body weight and fasting blood glucose of mice were measured once a week, and the random blood glucose was measured every two weeks. The changes of inflammatory factors in serum were detected by ELISA, including intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1/CD54), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), leptin (LEP), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Results: Firstly, compared with db/m group, fasting blood glucose and random blood glucose were all significantly higher in db/db group. Compared with placebo group, the fasting and random blood glucose in artemisinin, artemether and artesunate group decreased significantly. Secondly, compared with db/m group, the body weight of db/db group increased significantly. Compared with placebo, artemisinin could significantly reduce the weight of diabetic mice, while artemether and artesunate had no significant weight loss effect on diabetic mice. Thirdly, compared with db/m group, the levels of ICAM-1/CD54, IL-6, IL-8, LEP, NF-κB and IL-1β in db/db group were all increased. Compared with placebo, artemisinin, artemetherandartesunatesignificantly reduced the levels of ICAM-1/CD54, IL-6, IL-8, LEP, NF-κB and IL-1β in diabetic mice. In comparison, artesunate had the strongest anti-inflammatory ability, and the level of inflammatory factors was reduced significantly, followed by artemisinin, and artemether had relatively weak anti-inflammatory ability. Conclusion: Artemisinin and its derivatives, artemether and artesunate, could significantly reduce the expression of blood glucose and inflammatory factors in db/db mice. Artemisinin can reduce the body weight of db/db mice, but artemether and artesunate have no obvious effect on body weight. In conclusion, artemisinin has the best therapeutic effect on diabetic mice.
