Anti-diabetic Effect of the Methanolic Extract of Ligularia stenocephala Leaves in the Streptozotocin-induced Rat

The leaves of Ligularia stenocephala (Compositae) are used as a vegetable food to treat anxiety, weakness and menstrual disorder and are said to be effective against diabetic disease in Korea. This research was aimed to develop this vegetable food as a functional food to treat diabetic disease. Oral administration of MeOH extract exhibited significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats at 100 and 200 mg/kg dose. This extract inhibited the increase of body weight, water consumption, food intake, blood glucose, lowered atherogenic index, and overcome glucose intolerance in the STZ-treated rat. These results suggest that the leaves of Ligularia stenocephala could be developed as a functional food with anti-diabetic effect.