Abstract
The effect of Auricularia auricula-judae Quel. in ameliorating the symptoms of diabetes was investigated in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Rats were made diabetic by injection of 80mg/kg streptozotocin into 2-day-old neonates. From 9 weeks of age, the diabetic rats were given the fruit bodies of A. auricula-judge (Jew's-ear in English, and Kikurage in Japanese) as a dietary admixture at 5% food weight for 8 weeks. The fasting plasma glucose concentration, glucose tolerance, postprandial plasma glucose level and insulin secretion in diabetic rats fed the fruit bodies of A. auricula-judae were significantly improved to normal values without any effect on food intake, water intake, or body weight gain. These results suggest that A. auricula-judae contains some bioactive substances that can ameliorate the symptoms of diabetes.
