Previously, the potential of medicinal plants have been reported the effects on glucose metabolism through the various mechanisms, including, play a function role as insulin-like substances [30], inhibition the
insulinase activity [2], increased insulin secretion from [beta]-cells of islets of langerhans or its release from bound insulin [4,6] and may increase cells in the pancreas by activating regeneration of pancreatic cells [5].
This may be explained by presence of variability of insulin concentration that is connected with its splitting in the liver by enzyme
insulinase. As it is known that C-peptide and insulin are secreted by [beta]-cells in the equimolar concentration, and that C-peptide is not secreted in the liver in the significant amount, has begun widely used the measurement of C-peptide in peripheral blood for evaluation of endogenous secretary activity of [beta]-cells (Mari et al., 1993).
This may be so, because it has been reported that the placenta also produces
insulinase enzyme, which destroys insulin, an important hormone needed for the transport of glucose into cells (2).