title: Lipid abnormalities in streptozotocin-diabetes: Amelioration by Morus indica L. cv Suguna leaves.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the influence of mulberry (Morus indica L. cv Suguna) leaves on lipid abnormalities in STZ-diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment with dried mulberry leaf powder for a period of 8 weeks in hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic STZ-diabetic rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mulberry leaves regulated fasting blood glucose, ameliorated the abnormalities in lipid profile as indicated by significant (P<0.01) decrease in serum triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol and plasma free fatty acids by 50, 6, 31 and 22% respectively in STZ- diabetic rats compared to diabetic control rats which had significantly (P<0.01) raised levels of triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol and free fatty acids than the normal control rats. A marked increase in fecal bile acids (154%) was observed in mulberry treated diabetic rats compared to the diabetic control group indicating conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. In addition, mulberry supplementation significantly lowered LDL-C (67%) and VLDL-C (44%) levels and increased HDL-C (53%) and also decreased atherogenic index (58%) significantly when compared to the diabetic control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Besides the diabetic rats, mulberry leaves affected lipid profile in normal rats also indicating hypolipidemic effect as a result of the synergistic action of bioactive compounds.
authors.affiliation: Sri Sathya Sai University, Anantapur - 515 001, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andallu
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Vinay Kumar
authors.forename: N Ch
authors.initials: NCh
authors.lastname: Varadacharyulu