Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Effects of a Variety of Chinese Herbal Medicines Based on Silkworm (<i>Bombyx mori</i>) Model

Objective: To establish a low-cost way to evaluate the efficacy of hypoglycemic herbs. Methods: The silkworms were divided into control group, model group, metformin group, and various herbal extracts group, and were reared at 16˚C - 20˚C until the sixth day of modeling, and blood glucose was detected in all silkworms on the sixth day. Results: High-jasmine crude polysaccharide (H-JCP), total flavonoids of Paederia scandens (TFPS), total flavonoids of hibiscus flowers (TFHF), low-total flavonoids of chamomile (L-TFC), high-total flavonoids of chamomile (H-TFC), low-total flavonoids of potentilla discolor (L-TFPD), high-total flavonoids of potentilla discolor (H-TFPD), low-golden flowers tea extract (L-GFTE), high-golden flowers tea extract (H-GFTE), low-guava extract (L-GE) and high-guava extract(H-GE) had different hypoglycemic effects in the silkworm, respectively, H-JCP, TFPS, TFHF, H-TFC had a certain inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase activity, while crude polysaccharide of Polyporus umbellatus (CPPU), buckwheat shell total flavonoids (BSTF), low-hawthorn leaves flavonoids (L-HLF) and high-hawthorn leaves flavonoids (H-HLF) were not as effective in lowering the hypoglycemic effect. Conclusion: A model of diabetes in the silkworm, established at low temperatures, allowed a preliminary evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of the herbal extracts.