Pharmacological Effect of α-Glucosidase Inhibitor Voglibose in a Novel Obese Diabetic Model

Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the preventive or therapeutic effect of α-glucosidase inhibitor voglibose in a new model rat, Spontaneously Diabetic Torii-Leprfa (SDT fatty) rat, which is a novel type 2 diabetic rat showing obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia from a young age.
Place and Duration of Study: Niigata University and JT Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, between January and August 2011.
Methodology: The present study was designed to the preventive and therapeutic effect of voglibose by administering (0.3, 1 mg/kg) voglibose as a dietary admixture to SDT fatty rats from 5 to 11 and 14 to 20 weeks of age, respectively.
Result: In the examination of preventive effect, the obtained biochemical results show that voglibose decrease glucose level significantly in dose-dependent manner within 5-11 weeks of age. In voglibose-treated rats at 11 weeks of age, the histopathological pancreatic changes, such as vacuolation and irregular boundaries in islets, were improved. On the other hand, in the examination of therapeutic effect, voglibose improved the hyperglycemia only at a dose of 1 mg/kg within 16-20 weeks of age.
Conclusion: Voglibose showed both preventive and therapeutic effects for diabetes in female SDT fatty rats. The SDT fatty rat is a useful model for development of anti-diabetic agents.