Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of Withania somnifera root and leaf extracts on alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
Withania somnifera is an important medicinal plant, which is used in traditional medicine to cure many diseases. Flavonoids were determined in the extracts of W. somnifera root (WSREt) and leaf (WSLEt). The amounts of total flavonoids found in WSREt and WSLEt were 530 and 520 mg/100 g dry weight (DW), respectively. Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of WSREt and WSLEt were also investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. WSREt and WSLEt and the standard drug glibenclamide were orally administered daily to diabetic rats for eight weeks. After the treatment period, urine sugar, blood glucose, haemoglobin (Hb), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C), liver glycogen, serum and tissues lipids, serum and tissues proteins, liver glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) and serum enzymes like aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were determined. The levels of urine sugar, blood glucose, HbA1C, G6P, AST, ALT, ACP, ALP, serum lipids except high density lipoprotein-bound cholesterol (HDL-c) and tissues like liver, kidney and heart lipids were significantly (p < 0.05) increased, however Hb, total protein, albumin, albumin:globulin (A:G) ratio, tissues protein and glycogen were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Treatment of the diabetic rats with WSREt, WSLEt and glibenclamide restored the changes of the above parameters to their normal level after eight weeks of treatment, indicating that WSREt and WSLEt possess hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities in alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) rats.
Udayakumar
Rajangam
R
Department of Biology and Medicinal Sciences, Pai Chai University, Daejeon 302-735, Korea.|Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamilnadu, India.
Kasthurirengan
Sampath
S
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamilnadu, India.
Mariashibu
Thankaraj Salammal
TS
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamilnadu, India.
Rajesh
Manoharan
M
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamilnadu, India.
Anbazhagan
Vasudevan Ramesh
VR
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamilnadu, India.
Kim
Sei Chang
SC
Department of Biology and Medicinal Sciences, Pai Chai University, Daejeon 302-735, Korea.
Ganapathi
Andy
A
Department of Biology and Medicinal Sciences, Pai Chai University, Daejeon 302-735, Korea.|Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamilnadu, India.
Choi
Chang Won
CW
Department of Biology and Medicinal Sciences, Pai Chai University, Daejeon 302-735, Korea.
D000496:Alloxan; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006029:Glycosuria / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007009:Hypolipoproteinemias / Q000139:chemically induced; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D032341:Withania / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000496:Alloxan; D005905:Glyburide