Hypolipidemic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Urtica dioica in STZ - diabetic mice

Abstract

Urtica dioica has been used extensively in Iranian traditional medicine in treatment of diabetes. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of hydro-alcoholic leaf extract of Urtica dioica on serum lipid level in diabetic mouse model. To perform the study the fresh leaves of UD were collected. This study was carried out on 40 Swiss Albino male mice, randomly distributed in 4 groups. All the animals were weighed prior to administration of streptozotocin (STZ) and after treatment, and the range of weight was between 30 – 40gr. Diabetes was induced by multiple intraperitoneal (IP) injection (50 mg/kg) of STZ in 20 mice (Diabetic groups). Hydro-alcoholic extract of UD was injected (IP) to one of the diabetic groups and one of our control groups with the dosage of 100 mg/kg for 28 days. Two other groups received water (IP) injection. After 4 weeks,1cc blood sample was collected from abdominal aorta and the serum lipid level was measured. Our studies showed significantly lower levels of cholesterol and Triglyceride in mice that were treated with leaf extract of UD as compared with the control group of mice (p < 0.05) but there was no significant correlation between LDL and HDL of treatment and control groups. The mean cholesterol level in treatment group which was diabetic and received UD extract for 4 weeks, was 62 mg/dL while the mean in STZ group which was diabetic and received an equal volume of water was 100 mg/dL. The results of this study suggest that leaf extract of Urtica dioica decreases cholesterol in STZ induced diabetic mice.[1,2]