title: Effect of some hypoglycemic herbs on the activity of phase I and II drug-metabolizing enzymes in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and N-nitrosamines (NNA) are mainly activated by cytochrome P450s, and their associated enzyme activities such as aryl hydrocarbon (benzo(a)pyrene) hydroxylase (AHH), N-nitrosdimethylamine N-demethylase I (NDMA-dI), NADPH-cytochrome C reductase, and detoxified by glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione (GSH). The present study shows the influence of Cymbopogon proximus (Halfa barr), Zygophyllum coccineum L. (Kammun quaramany), Lupinus albus (Termis) as herbs capable of inducing hypoglycemia on the activity of the above mentioned enzymes in the liver of diabetic rats. Alloxan was administered as a single dose (120 mg/kg body weight) to induce diabetes and the herbs were administered to diabetic rats as repeated doses for 4 weeks. Alloxan-induced diabetes significantly increased the blood glucose level by 93% compared to the control level. On the other hand, repeated-dose treatments of diabetic rats with Cymbopogon proximus and Lupinus albus are more effective than Zygophyllum coccineum in restoring the elevated blood glucose level to the normal level. Alloxan treatment increased the hepatic activity of cytochrome P450, NADPH-cytochrome C reductase, AHH, NDMA-dI, GST and GSH by 112, 122, 82, 99, 64 and 26%, respectively. These herbs decreased the activity of above mentioned enzymes in the liver of diabetic rats compared to alloxan-treated rats. We conclude that alloxan increased the activity of cytochrome P450 system and that such herbs reduced these activities. The toxic effects of PAHs (e.g. benzo(a)pyrene) and NNA (e.g. N-nitrosdimethylamine) could be increased in the liver of diabetic rats through induction of their corresponding bioactivating enzymes. On the other hand, hypoglycemic herbs could alleviate the deleterious effects of these carcinogens in the liver of diabetic rats since these herbs reduced the hepatic content of cytochrome P450 and other associated enzyme activities compared to the diabetic group. Such alterations in the activity of phase I and II drug-metabolizing enzymes should be considered when therapeutic drugs are administered to diabetic patients since most of drugs are metabolized mainly by the cytochrome P450 system.
authors: Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Egypt. ssheweita@yahoo.com
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Sheweita
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Newairy
authors: H A
authors: HA
authors: Mansour
authors: M I
authors: MI
authors: Yousef
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology*; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D005982:Glutathione Transferase