Effect of an active fraction of<i> Artemisia dracunculus</i> L. on cellular insulin signaling in Primary Human Skeletal Muscle Culture

Effect of an active fraction of Artemisia dracunculus L. on cellular insulin signaling in Primary Human Skeletal Muscle Culture There are thousands of plants There are thousands of plants that have historically been used in medicinal treatments for diabetes. Most of these botanicals found throughout the world have little or no scientific validation. However, an extract of the Artemisia dracunculus L. (Russian tarragon) known as PMI-5011 was previously shown to improve insulin sensitivity in animal models. More recently, studies have identified a specific fraction, i.e F7 as the most active fraction using bioactivity-guided HPLC separation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of this active fraction on insulin signaling in human skeletal muscle (HSKM) culture. Primary cell cultures were obtained from 15 Caucasian male subjects (5 lean, BMI less than 30, 5 non-diabetic obese and 5 obese, Type 2 diabetic subjects, BMI greater than 30) from the vastus lateralis muscle at baseline biopsy of a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. We evaluated the levels of protein for Akt, AS160, Glut-4 and phosphorylation of Akt and AS160. Our data demonstrate that AS160 levels were significantly decreased in obese subjects when compared to lean (P [lt] 0.05), but did not differ among obese, non-diabetic or obese, diabetic. When treated with F7, AS160 levels were found to be inversely associated with the BMI (P[lt] 0.05). F7 treatment increased Glut-4 levels in the lean group by approx. 30% (P [lt] 0.05). F7 treatment did not appear to alter content of the other cytosolic substrates. Interestingly, insulin stimulated Akt phosphorylation was significantly and positively associated with insulin sensitivity in F7 treated cells (P[lt]0.01). From these studies, we conclude that AS160 levels are noted to be higher in lean individuals when compared to obese subjects, but does not appear to be altered in the presence of F7. An active fraction of Artemisia dracunculus L., e.g. F7, may have as its mechanism of action, the ability to increase insulin stimulated Akt phosphorylation in human primary cell culture. LESLIE S. SON, JIANHUA QIN, ZHONG Q. WANG, XIAN ZHANG, DAVID RIBNICKY, WILLIAM T. CEFALU, Baton Rouge, LA, New Brunswick, NJ 2168-PO Clinical Therapeutics/New Technology - Pharmacologic Treatment of Diabetes or its Complications