Ethanol extract of Butea monosperma bark modulates dyslipidemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

CONTEXT: Dyslipidemia is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease in diabetes mellitus (DM). The availability of multiple lipid-lowering drugs and supplements provides new opportunities for patients to regulate lipid levels. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Butea monosperma Lam. (Fabaceae) bark extract in diabetes-induced dyslipidemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A daily dose of B. monosperma bark extract (BMBE, 500 mg/kg body weight) was given orally to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 60 d. Several indices such as blood glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, TC, TG, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), apo A1, apo B, activities of lipogenic enzymes in tissues, liver function tests, and histopathology of liver were analyzed to assess the modulation of STZ-induced diabetic dyslipidemia by B. monosperma bark. RESULTS: BMBE significantly reduced blood glucose (40.79%) and increased plasma insulin (37.5%) levels in diabetic rats. Altered levels of serum lipids, lipoproteins, and activities of lipogenic enzymes in tissues were partially restored upon the administration of BMBE in diabetic rats. Liver function tests and histopathological examination revealed that consumption of BMBE at a dose of 500 mg/kg body weight had no toxic effects in experimental rats. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that BMBE supplementation could ameliorate dyslipidemia in DM.

Cissus quadrangularis extract attenuates hyperglycaemia-mediated oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperglycaemia-mediated oxidative stress plays a major role in the progression of diabetic complications. This study was aimed at evaluating the beneficial effects of Cissus quadrangularis stem extract on antioxidant/oxidant status in diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antioxidant activities of an ethyl acetate fraction of Cissus quadrangularis stem (CQSF) at three different doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight) were evaluated in rats with experimentally induced diabetes. High performance liquid chromatography analysis was carried out to identify the active components present in the plant fraction. RESULTS: Induction of diabetes caused deleterious effects including hyperglycaemia, liver dysfunction, significant decline in antioxidants and elevated lipid peroxidation indices. C. quadrangularis supplementation significantly improved insulin sensitivity, reduced liver damage, and oxidative changes, and brought back the antioxidants towards normal. Histopathological analysis of the liver also reinforced our findings. Pronounced changes were observed at the doses 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight. In addition, high performance liquid chromatography analysis of C. quadrangularis fraction revealed the presence of quercetin. DISCUSSION: This study suggests an anti-diabetic potential of CQSF, mediated through the modulation of the antioxidant defence system. The ethyl acetate fraction of Cissus quadrangularis is rich in quercetin and this indicates that the supplementation of CQSF might be beneficial as a food supplement for the attenuation of diabetic complications.