Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Seed Extract from Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats.

BACKGROUND: Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng has been reported to possess various beneficial medicinal properties. Scientific information about this plant is limited. This study was therefore, designed to determine hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of ethanol seed extract from A. bunius (ABSE). Antioxidant activity and also acute toxicity were conducted. METHODOLOGY: The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects were studied by oral giving ABSE at a dose of 250 mg kg -1 to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats daily for 6 weeks. Antioxidant activity was studied using DPPH assay. The ABSE at the doses of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg kg -1 were employed in the acute toxicity study. RESULTS: The results revealed that ABSE significantly (p<0.05) reduced the blood glucose level and recovered the pathology of hematological values, but significantly (p<0.05) increased the body weight and slightly increased serum insulin of the diabetic rats. However, ABSE recovered pathology of hematological values, but affected renal and hepatic functions in the treated rats by producing an alteration of creatinine, albumin, total protein, BUN and ALP. Interestingly, ABSE increased WBC and HDL, but reduced CHOL, LDL and TG both in normal and diabetic ABSE treated rats. The ABSE possessed relatively low antioxidant activity with IC50 of 2174±14.24 mg mL -1 compared to vitamin C (1.48±0.07 µg mL -1). Fortunately, ABSE did not produce any symptoms of acute toxicity and mortality in the rats. CONCLUSION: The ethanol seed extract from A. bunius possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. The ABSE also recovered the pathology of the hematology but may cause renal dysfunction in the diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects are likely due to its antioxidant and insulin secretion activities.