title: Antidiabetic Effects of Aqueous Infusions of Artemisia herba-alba and Ajuga iva in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats.
abstract: The aqueous infusions of the aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Ajuga iva Schreber, prepared in accordance with the traditional procedure used in the local folk medicine, have been analysed for their composition and content of phytochemical constituents and examined for their antidiabetic effectiveness in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of A. herba-alba and A. iva infusions was studied in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats, which were randomly divided into nine groups, each group consisting of six animals. The drug preparations (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg b. w.) of each plant were given orally to the rats of each group twice daily for 15 days. Compositional analysis of the aqueous infusions revealed the presence of several polyphenols as main components. A. herba-alba infusion was characterised by mono- and di-cinnamoylquinic acids, with 5-caffeoylquinic (chlorogenic) acid being the main compound, followed by 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Vicenin-2 (apigenin 6,8-di-C-glucoside) appeared to be the most abundant among flavonoids. On the other hand, A. iva showed the exclusive presence of flavonoids, with the flavanone naringin present in relatively high levels together with several apigenin (flavone) derivatives. Oral administration of 300 mg/kg b. w. of the aqueous infusions of A. herba-alba and A. iva exhibited a significant reduction in blood glucose content, showing a much more efficient antidiabetic activity compared to glibenclamide, the oral hypoglycaemic agent used as a positive control in this study. These results suggest that A. herba-alba and A. iva possess significant antidiabetic activity, as they were able to improve the biochemical damage in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats.
authors.affiliation: Département de Microbiologie et Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de M'sila, M'sila, Algérie.
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boudjelal
authors.affiliation: Istituto del CNR di Chimica Biomolecolare, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Siracusa
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie Appliquée, Université Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algérie.
authors.forename: Cherifa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henchiri
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de M'sila, M'sila, Algérie.
authors.forename: Madani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarri
authors.affiliation: Département de Microbiologie et Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de M'sila, M'sila, Algérie.
authors.forename: Benkhaled
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abderrahim
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de M'sila, M'sila, Algérie.
authors.forename: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baali
authors.affiliation: Istituto del CNR di Chimica Biomolecolare, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruberto
mesh_terms: D031328:Ajuga / Q000737:chemistry*; D000496:Alloxan / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002726:Chlorogenic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005960:Glucosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005960:Glucosides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D059808:Polyphenols; C530449:apigenin-6,8-di-C-glycopyranoside; D002726:Chlorogenic Acid; D000496:Alloxan; D047310:Apigenin; C100434:3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid; D005905:Glyburide