Effect of essential oil of the wild Satureja khuzestanica Jamzad on activity and gene expression of some hepatic glycoregulatory enzymes in normal and diabetic rats

The effect of the wild SKEO on activities and genes expression of hepatic glucokinase (GK), glycogen phosphorylase (GP) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in normal and diabetic rats was evaluated. The wild SKEO was orally administered at dose (100 mg/kg per day) to normal, as well as diabetic rats for 21 days. The levels of mRNA were determined using the quantitative real- time RT-PCR technique. The plasma glucose concentrations of diabetic rats receiving the wild SKEO compared with diabetic control were significantly decreased. Hepatic GK and GP activities and their mRNA levels of diabetic rats treated with the wild SKEO moderately increased compared with diabetic control.. The activity of hepatic PEPCK and its mRNA levels were significantly decreased in normal rats treated the wild SKEO. The enhancement of PEPCK activity and its mRNA levels of diabetic treated rats with was significantly decreased compared with diabetic control (P<0.05). Our results indicate that a moderate enhancement of GP and GK as well as an excessive inhibition of PEPCK in liver of STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with the wild SKEO may contribute to the plasma glucose lowering action of SKEO that seems to be in relation with antioxidant properties of SKEO.