Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of Arabic and Indian origin Salvadora persica root extract on diabetic rats with histopathology of their pancreas.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Salvadora persica aqueous extracts on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by measuring fasting blood glucose levels, lipid profiles and histopathological analysis of pancreas.

METHODS

Experimental Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) to albino Wistar rats. Salvadora persica extracts were administered orally at 250 and 500 mg/kg dose levels for 21 days. Glucose tolerance test (GTT) was performed on 16 h fasted rats and changes in blood glucose levels, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and histopathology of pancreas were performed.

RESULTS

At a dose level of 500 mg/kg, blood glucose 85.25 ± 13.20 mg/dl, total cholesterol (TC) 114.57 ± 15.81(mg/dl), triglycerides (TG) 75.40 ± 16.47(mg/dl), LDL 42.63 ± 13.17(mg/dl), VLDL 22.78 ± 1.88(mg/dl), and elevation of HDL 44.88 ± 11.61(mg/dl) were found in comparison with diabetic control on 28(th) day by Arabic origin Salvadora persica. It also accelerated the regeneration of β-cells in experimental animal's pancreas to 32.6 ± 2.4 compared to diabetic control animal's pancreas of 8.1 ± 0.5 at the end of 28(th) day.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed that Arabic Salvadora persica aqueous extracts at 500 mg/kg dose level, in comparison to other extracts (Indian Salvadora persica, 250 and 500 mg/kg, Arabic Salvadora persica 250 mg/kg) possessed significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities and regenerated pancreatic β-cells in streptozotocin treated diabetic rats.