Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of the Polyherbal (Conocarpus lancifolius L., Capparis spinosa L. and Dodonaea viscosa) Extracts and Assessment of the Hypoglycaemia Effect in Diabetic Mice

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus, often referred to simply as diabetes, is a chronic metabolic disorder due to the relativedeficiency of insulin secretion and varying degrees of insulin resistance. It is characterised by high circulatingglucose. Excessive levels of either molecular oxygen or Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) lead to an imbalancein the body’s normal oxidative metabolism that to leads to high glucose levels in the blood (hyperglycaemia),resulting in metabolic disturbances (oxidative stress) and chronic complications in diabetes. The presentstudy aims to estimate the antioxidant activity in diabetic mice induced via alloxan of a combination ofthree types of plant leaves (Conocarpus lancifolius L., Capparis spinosa L. and Dodonaea viscosa). Thetotal phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the antioxidant activity utilizing 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay were estimated. The effect of polyherbal formulation leaves extracts onserum glucose level was done on forty-two albino mice divided into six groups and treated with polyherbalextracts and metformin. The results of total phenolic content in the polyherbal leaves extracts was observed(15.52 mg\g) in the aqueous extracted samples, while the total phenolics content was (46.97mg\g) in themethanolic extract, and the antioxidant activity showed the methanolic extract was the highest free radicalscavenging activity (93.28%) than the aqueous extract (86.77%) in 10 mg/ml and approach to the artificialantioxidant Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) which was (93.67%). This study showed both extracts ofpolyherbal leaves did not induce lethality in mice when administered orally at a dose of 2000 mg/kg. on theother hand, Diabetic mice treated with methanolic extract at doses 200 and 400 mg/kg showed a significantdecrease (p<0.01) in serum glucose level after 35 days, which was 113.66 and 107.66 mg/dl respectively,and the aqueous extract was 124.66 and 117.00 mg/dl respectively when compared with the control positivegroup (324.00 mg/dl).