Proximate nutrient analysis of elephant apple (Dillenia indica) fruit and its hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic potentials in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Elephant apple (Dillenia indica) fruit is widely used in traditional and ayurvedic medicine. AimsTo estimate the nutrient contents of this fruit with the evaluation of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in alloxan-induced diabetes rats. MethodologyProximate composition and twenty bioactive compounds of elephant apple (EA) fruit were determined using standard methods. Rats were randomly divided into four groups, and each group consisted of six rats. Elephant apple (EA) fruit powder (500 mg/kg body wt./rat/day) was orally fed to the experimental rats in addition to the regular diet for six consecutive weeks. Fasting blood glucose level and lipid profile parameters were analysed from the serum samples of the experimental animals. ResultElephant apple (EA) fruit is rich in carbohydrates (64.52 %), protein (6.81 %), fiber (1.38 %), phosphorus (0.026 %), and ascorbic acid (0.004 %). This fruit also contains different phytochemicals viz. alkaloids, anthraquinone, phenol, flavonoids, terpenoids, and coumarin, except carotenoids and triterpenoids. This study found that oral administration of EA powder significantly (p ≤ 0.01) reduced fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) and serum lipid profiles such as total cholesterol (TC), total triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), but improves high-density lipoprotein (HDL). ConclusionsEA fruit is potentially important to manage diabetes and hyperlipidemia.