Salvadora persica leaf aqueous extract attenuates hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in alloxan induced diabetic male rats

Abstract

Background: Herbal medicine has been widely used in controlling diabetes and obesity for avoiding their complications. Objectives: The anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-lipidemic activity of Salvadora persica leaf aqueous extract was tested in alloxan induced diabetic male rats. Methods: 24 male rats were divided into 4 groups; negative control (G1), diabetic positive control (G2) and two diabetic groups (G3 and G4) supplemented with aqueous extract of S. persica at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/0.5 ml water/100 g body weight, respectively for 28 d. Results: The positive control diabetic group showed increase in blood sugar, liver enzyme activity, kidney parameters, lipid peroxidation, immunoglobulines, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoproteins and decrease in alpha amylase, antioxidants and high density lipoproteins. Treating the diabetic rats in G3 and G4 with S. persica leaf aqueous extract nearly restored all biochemical and histological changes nearly to the normal as in the control negative. Conclusion: S. persica leaf aqueous extract has hypoglycaemic, antioxidant and hypolipidemic activity in alloxan induced diabetic male rats. It restored all biochemical parameters and the injured kidney, liver and pancreas tissues nearly to the normal as in the negative control group. The high dose of S. persica leaf aqueous extract was more effective than the low dose.