HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT OF THE COMBINED USE OF PUERARIN AND ASPIRIN IN MICE

Puerarin is one of the main active principles of radix puerirae, a Chinese traditional drug for treating diabetes mellitus. Animal studies indicated that puerarin has hypoglycemic effect at 500 mg/kg/day orally in alloxan diabetic mice. It can also decrease the serum cholesterol level.Puerarin and aspirin in combination (250+50 mg/kg) was shown to lower blood glucose, serum cholesterol and improve glucose tolerance in alloxan-diabetie mice. It was noted that aspirin can potentiate the hypoglycemic effect of puerarin. The combination was also found to diminish the hyperglycemic effect of epinephrine and reduce capillary hyper-permeability of mice.From these results, it is apparent that the combination of puerarin and aspirin is better than puerarin alone. The combination may be efficacious in relieving some symptoms of moderate diabetes mellitus and especially to prevent some vascular complications.