Comparison of the Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic and Hepatoprotective Effects of Asparagus racemosus Linn. in Combination with Gliclazide and Pioglitazone on Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

In recent years, the popularity of medicinal plants as a remedy has been increased manifold due to having minimal adverse effects. The current study aimed to compare the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of the ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus (EEAR) Linn. alone and combinedly with conventional antidiabetic agents (gliclazide and pioglitazone) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Wister albino rats by the administration of single intra-peritoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate (120 mg/kg b.w.). Effect of oral administration of two different doses of EEAR (200 and 400 mg/kg b.w.), gliclazide (10 mg/kg b.w.) and pioglitazone (10 mg/70kg/b.w.) alone for 2 weeks and a combination of EEAR (200 mg/kg b.w.) with either gliclazide (10 mg/kg b.w.) or pioglitazone (10 mg/70kg/b.w.) for 2 weeks were examined on hypoglycemic activity on 0th, 5th, 10th and 14th day of treatment. After 2 weeks of treatment, hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects were estimated by serum biochemical markers such as total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases (SGPT) and total protein (TP) with the help of commercially available kits. The survival rate, body weight and organ weight were also measured. Alloxan treatment resulted in persistent hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver dysfunction in rats. Treatment with EEAR at different doses improved hyperglycemia significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001; p < 0.05, p < 0.01; p < 0.05) by reducing the blood glucose levels in rats on 10th and 14th day of treatment in a dose-dependent mood when compared to the disease control rats, gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats.