Diabetes mellitus is a group of widespread metabolic disorders that affects sugar metabolism and insulin synthesis. Proper management of diabetes requires regulating blood sugar and insulin levels in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Inadequate insulin levels or insulin resistance can lead to deficient glycolysis and promote gluconeogenesis. The mechanism behind sugar metabolism and usage by different tissues, usually altered in diabetes patients, is the key for treatment. 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation increases glucose uptake and suppresses intracellular glucose production, a process commonly impaired in diabetes patients. Drugs used to treat this condition, including metformin, regulate AMPK function but often cause side effects. A study in Scientific Reports shows the potential of the natural compound kaempferol-3-rhamnoside for managing diabetes in mice by affecting metabolic enzymes and the AMPK pathway.

After confirming that kaempferol-3-rhamnoside was safe to be administered, the team treated diabetic mice induced by streptozotocin with the drug, reducing their blood sugar levels compared to untreated diabetic mice. Similar results were seen with the drug increasing insulin levels in blood, which are commonly reduced in diabetic mice. After 28 days of treatment, the glucose metabolic activity in the treated mice approached levels similar to those of the control group. The levels of lipid peroxidation, which contribute to tissue damage, decreased in the kaempferol-3-rhamnoside group compared to the untreated diabetic mice. Treatment with the drug increased the levels of serum antioxidants that are decreased in the diabetic group. The drug also decreased the pancreatic levels of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha. In diabetic models, where diabetes typically reduces AMPK activity in the liver, treatment with kaempferol-3-rhamnoside and insulin reactivated AMPK function in hepatic tissues.

These results show that kaempferol-3-rhamnoside can promote hypoglycemic effects in diabetic models, indicating an ability to bypass insulin resistance to lower glycemia. Understanding the benefits of using kaempferol-3-rhamnoside to manage diabetes can lead to more effective future treatments.

Original reference: Aodah, A.H. et al. Sci. Rep. 14, 16167 (2024)