Acta Pharm. 49 (1999) 181-188

Stimulation of DNA synthesis in isolated Langerhans islets treated by Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L'Herit. extracts with hypoglycaemic efficacy

ZDENKA KALOGJERA,^1*   MIRKO HADZIJA,²   MILIVOJ SLIJEPCEVIC,² and PETER THEISS

¹Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Department of Pharmacognosy, Marulicev trg 20, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
²Rugjer Boškovic Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Bijenicka cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
³Naturwaren OHG, Mischelinstrasse 10, D-66424 Homburg, Germany

Hypoglycaemic effect of ethanolic extracts of Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L'Herit was checked on alloxan diabetic mice. The observed hypoglycaemic effect depended on the dose of each extract administered and has been found stronger than that of glibenclamide administered to control group of diabetic mice. Moreover, the high stimulation of DNA-synthesis (70%) in the cells of isolated Langerhans islets was observed after their in vitro incubation with Pelargonium radula extracts and glucose stimulation.

Keywords: Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L'Herit, hypoglycaemic effect, alloxan diabetes, DNA-synthesis, Langerhans islets