Anti-diabetic effects of Sutherlandia frutescens in Wistar rats fed a diabetogenic diet

Sutherlandia frutescens has been marked as a potential hypoglycaemic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We investigated the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens in bringing about hypoglycaemia and promoting glucose uptake in pre-diabetic rats. Crushed Sutherlandia frutescens leaves in drinking water were administered to rats fed a high fat diet. Positive control rats received only metformin. Glucose uptake experiments were undertaken using (3)H] deoxy-glucose. Various physiological parameters were also measured. Rats receiving Sutherlandia frutescens displayed normoinsulinaemic levels, after 8 weeks medicational compliance, compared to the fatty controls. There was a significant increase in glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue, and a significant decrease in intestinal glucose uptake (p<0.001 at 60min) in rats receiving the plant extract. The Sutherlandia frutescens plant extract shows promise as a type 2 anti-diabetes medication because of its ability to normalize insulin levels and glucose uptake in peripheral tissues and suppress intestinal glucose uptake, with no weight gain noted. The exact mechanism of action and the extract's efficacy in humans need further confirmation.