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In this study, we like to examine whether Panax ginseng water extract (PGWE) exerts antidiabetic activities in prevention and treatment modes in multiple low dose (MLD) streptozotocin (STZ) (20 mg/kg i.p injection for 5 days) induced diabetic SD rats. In the prevention mode, 150 mg/kg of GRWE was administered intraperitoneally with STZ for 3 weeks, and this group is called CO150. In the treatment mode, we started to administer the same dose of PGWE on day 8 and for 3 weeks, and this group is called POST150. PGWE exerted significant hypoglycemic activities in both prevention (normal control, 97±6 mg/dl; diabetic control, 331±23; CO150, 211±37) and treatment groups (normal control,128±4 mg/dl; diabetic control, 392±33; POST150, 263±44). Of great importance is the fact that plasma insulin levels in both groups were markedly increased as compared to the diabetic control (normal control, 428.7±62.1 pg/dl; diabetic control, 167.0±91.7; CO150, 377.6±68.7 in prevention mode, and in treatment mode normal control 417.9± 84.6 pg/dl; diabetic control, 166.1±104.7; POST150, 315.2±47.4). Blood glucose levels were closely associated with plasma insulin levels, and this result may suggest that PGWE showed the activity to enhance insulin secretion as well as preventing destruction of pancreatic islet cells. Food and water intakes were also determined at the last week of treatment in both groups. Characteristic symptoms of diabetes were significantly improved in both groups. In the prevention mode, water intake (ml/rat/day) in normal control was increased from 30.6±1.5 to 122.2±3.4 in diabetic control rats. In the CO150-treated group, water intake was dramatically reduced to 68.3±4.4 (p<0.001 vs. diabetic control). In the treatment mode, POST-treated group also reduced the water intake from 128.9±2.2 to 113.3±1.7. Taken together, our data suggest that PGWE showed comparable antidiabetic activities in prevention and treatment modes. Therefore, PGWE may have a potential as a prophylactic as well as therapeutic agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
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