Abstract
The effects of an aqueous extract of the plant Scoparia dulcis (200 mg/kg) on the polyol pathway and lipid peroxidation were examined in the liver of streptozotocin adult diabetic male albino Wistar rats. The diabetic control rats (N = 6) presented a significant increase in blood glucose, sorbitol dehydrogenase, glycosylated hemoglobin and lipid peroxidation markers such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and hydroperoxides, and a significant decrease in plasma insulin and antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) compared to normal rats (N = 6). Scoparia dulcis plant extract (SPEt, 200 mg kg-1 day-1) and glibenclamide (600 microg kg-1 day-1), a reference drug, were administered by gavage for 6 weeks to diabetic rats (N = 6 for each group) and significantly reduced blood glucose, sorbitol dehydrogenase, glycosylated hemoglobin, TBARS, and hydroperoxides, and significantly increased plasma insulin, GPx, GST and GSH activities in liver. The effect of the SPEt was compared with that of glibenclamide. The effect of the extract may have been due to the decreased influx of glucose into the polyol pathway leading to increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and plasma insulin and decreased activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase. These results indicate that the SPEt was effective in attenuating hyperglycemia in rats and their susceptibility to oxygen free radicals.
Highlights
Diabetes is likely to remain a significant threat to public health in the years to come
The effects of an aqueous extract of the plant Scoparia dulcis (200 mg/ kg) on the polyol pathway and lipid peroxidation were examined in the liver of streptozotocin adult diabetic male albino Wistar rats
The effect of the extract may have been due to the decreased influx of glucose into the polyol pathway leading to increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and plasma insulin and decreased activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase
Summary
Diabetes is likely to remain a significant threat to public health in the years to come. In the absence of effective and affordable interventions for both types of diabetes, the frequency of the disease will escalate worldwide, with a major impact on the population of developing countries [1]. Hyperglycemia is an important factor in the development and progression of the complications of diabetes mellitus [2]. The major metabolic changes caused by hyperglycemia are increased glucose flux into the polyol pathway, elevated formation of oxygen free radicals and formation of advanced glycated end products such as carboxymethyl lysine, a crystalline lens protein. There is evidence that glycation itself may induce the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals in the erythrocytes of diabetic subjects. Despite the considerable progress in the understanding and management of diabetes, the disease and the complications related to it continue to increase [5]. Since diabetes is progressing unabated, there is an urgent need to identify indigenous natural sources of new active substances against the disease
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