Effects of Teucrium polium aerial parts extracts on malonyl-CoA decarboxylase level

Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is an enzyme involved in the decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA. In order to explore the hypothesis that the changing plant materials’ MCD activity level can serve as therapy to diabetics, the effect of Teucrium polium compounds was studied in a diabetic rat model. In this experimental study, two groups of rats, a control and a diabetic group, each including six rats, were used. At the end of the experiment, all rats were exterminated by ether anesthesia, their pancreases removed and dissected. Isolated rat pancreas was cultured in buffers with or without 100-500µg/l T. polium aerial parts extracts containing arginine and leucine. MCD and insulin levels were measured after culture at 37°C and 5% CO2, for 1, 3 and 5 days. Results showed that T. polium aqueous and the alcoholic extract decreased MCD activity. Present data also indicate that incubation of pancreatic tissue at a concentration of 2.8 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose stimulated insulin release. For the first time it seems that aqueous and alcoholic extracts of this plant decreased MCD activity.