Table 3 Effects of ingested or injected ecdysteroids on carbohydrate metabolism (in red, reference to patents).

Species Ecdysteroids Dose Mode of administration Duration of treatments (days) Effects References Rats or Mice 20E 0.5 mg/kg i.p.   Hypoglycaemic Yoshida et al., 1971; Uchiyama and Yoshida, 1974 Rats 20E 5 mg/kg per os 15 Recovery of liver mito-chondrial function after alloxan treatment Tashmukhamedova et al., 1985; Syrov et al., 1992 Rats 20E       Increase sensitivity to insulin treatment in experimental diabetes Kosovsky et al., 1989 Humans 20E, Ino   per os   Antidiabetic effects Takahashi and Nishimoto, 1992 Rats 20E, Cyas, Turk   per os   Decrease of glycaemia in diabetic animals Syrov et al., 1997a Humans 20E + 20E2Ac - per os - Antidiabetic effects Yang et al., 2001

Cyas: cyasterone; E: ecdysone; 20E: 20-hydroxyecdysone; Ino : inokosterone A; Turk: turkesterone.