Hypoglycemic action of the rhizomes of Polygonatum officinale in normal and diabetic mice.

The hypoglycemic effect of the rhizomes of Polygonatum officinale (Liliaceae) was investigated in both normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The methanol extract of rhizomes of Polygonatum officinale (PO) (800 mg/kg) reduced the blood glucose of normal mice from 170 +/- 3 to 136 +/- 5 mg/100 ml 4 hours after intraperitoneal administration (P < 0.001), and also significantly lowered the blood glucose of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice from 696 +/- 60 to 407 +/- 35 mg/100 ml under similar conditions (P < 0.01). PO also suppressed epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia in mice. In addition, the n-butanol fraction of the methanol extract elicited a significant decrease in the blood glucose level of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice after 4 hours (P < 0.05).