Abstract

Bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV), an organic vanadyl complex was found to improve deranged glucose and lipid metabolism in experimental models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The mechanism of its antidiabetic action appeared to be its insulin sensitizing action in vivo. In the present investigation, the effect of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV) at the two important target organs of insulin was studied in vitro using 3T3-L1 adipocytic cell line and C2C12 myoblasts, a skeletal muscle cell line. Bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV) both in the absence and presence of insulin was found to significantly increase triglyceride synthesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and transport of radiolabeled glucose in C2C12 myoblasts. The effect of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV) in both these cell lines in the absence and presence of insulin was not significantly different from each other, indicating that bis(malto1ato)oxovanadium (IV) acts as an insulin mimick rather than as an insulin sensitizer in vitro. The mechanism of the in vivo antidiabetic action of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (IV) thus could be attributed to its insulin mimicking action at the insulin target organs like adipocytes and skeletal muscles.