title: Antihyperglycemic activity and antioxidant role of Terminalia arjuna leaf in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Terminalia arjuna Roxb. (Combretaceae), commonly known as Arjuna, is a large tree grown throughout the Indian peninsula and used traditionally for several medicinal purposes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate antihyperglycemic and antioxidant role of methanol extract of T. arjuna leaf (META) in Wistar rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg body weight). Three days after STZ induction, the hyperglycemic rats were treated with META orally at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight daily for 15 days. Glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg, orally) was used as reference drug. The fasting blood glucose levels were measured on every fifth day during the 15-day treatment. Serum biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), cholesterol, and total protein were estimated. Antioxidant properties were assessed by estimating hepatic lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  META at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg orally significantly (P < 0.001) and dose-dependently reduced and normalized blood glucose levels as compared with that of STZ control group. Serum biochemical parameters were significantly (P < 0.001) restored toward normal levels in META-treated rats as compared with STZ control. META treatment also significantly (P < 0.001) decreased lipid peroxidation and recovered GSH level and CAT activity toward normal as compared with STZ control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study infers that T. arjuna leaf demonstrated remarkable antihyperglycemic activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The potential antihyperglycemic action is plausibly due to its underlying antioxidant role.
authors.affiliation: Bengal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kalyani, Nadia, India.
authors.forename: Moulisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Biswakanth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: Sanjib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: R B Suresh
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Ashoke Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Pallab Kanti
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Haldar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029766:Terminalia
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002374:Catalase; D005978:Glutathione