Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of Boswellia carterii and Cissus rotundifolia in rats compared to that of glibenclamide and metformin as common oral hypoglycemic drugs.Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats, divided into six groups of six rats each, were assigned into diabetic and non-diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced in rats by single intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg b.w.) and nicotinamide (110 mg/kg b.w.). The first two groups were normal and diabetic controls, whereas the other four diabetic groups were treated with water extracts of the medicinal plants; B. carterii (100 mg/kg b.w.) and C. rotundifolia (100 mg/kg b.w.), glibenclamide (5 mg/kg b.w.) and metformin (150 mg/kg b.w.). Body weight and serum glucose were measured on days 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were also measured.Results: Treatment of diabetic rats with the water extracts of B. carterii and C. rotundifolia for four weeks resulted in a significant (p<0.05) increase in their body weights and a significant decrease in the levels of serum glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. The effects of the two plant extracts were almost similar to those of glibenclamide and metformin.Conclusion: Water extracts of B. carterii or C. rotundifolia have a hypoglycemic effect resembling those of glibenclamide and metformin, and these findings provide a pharmacological evidence for their anti-diabetic claims in folk medicine.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease that affects the people of both developed and developing countries [1]
The present study aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of B. carterii and C. rotundifolia in rats compared to glibenclamide and metformin
STZ caused a significant weight loss of rats in the diabetic group compared to normal controls, whereas treatment of diabetic rats with plant extracts (B. carterii or C. rotundifolia) significantly (p
Summary
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease that affects the people of both developed and developing countries [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that this number will exceed 370 million by 2030 and considers the disease as the fifth leading cause of death in the world [1]. DM may be caused by the abnormality of carbohydrate metabolism that is linked to low blood insulin level or insensitivity of target organs to insulin, leading to hyperglycemia [2]. Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetic patients leads to severe damage in body tissues, organ dysfunctions and irreversible failure of some vital organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels [3]. It could be accompanied by dyslipidemia that may lead to cardiovascular disorders, which are major causes of morbidity and mortality among diabetic patients [3]
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