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An extract of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seed residues has been shown to possess hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties in normal mice. The present study investigated the effects of an aqueous extract of seabuckthorn seed residues (ASSR) on serum glucose, lipid profiles and antioxidant parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: a normal control group; diabetic control group; diabetic groups supplemented with 5 mg/kg body weight glibenclamide (reference drug) and 400 mg/kg body weight ASSR. Diabetes in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg body weight). Vehicle (distilled water), glibenclamide and ASSR were administered orally to normal and diabetic rats once a day lasting for 4 weeks. The data showed that administration of ASSR significantly lowered the serum glucose, triglyceride and nitric oxide levels in diabetic rats. Moreover, ASSR treatment also increased serum superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione level markedly. These results show that ASSR has hypoglycemic, hypotriglyceridemic and antioxidant effects in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, suggesting that ASSR supplementation can be useful in preventing diabetic complications associated with hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress.

These results suggest that FSH possesses hypolipidaemic and hypoglycaemic properties in mice fed a high-fat diet and could be developed as a supplement in healthcare foods and drugs.

During industrial processing of Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.), around half of each spear is discarded. However, these discarded asparagus (by-products) might be used as food supplements for their potential therapeutic effects. This study evaluated the hypolipidemic effect of n-butanol extract (BEA) from asparagus by-products in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Continuous HFD feeding caused hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress and liver damage in mice. Interestingly, while BEA significantly decreased the levels of body weight gain, serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, it dramatically increased the high density lipoprotein level when administered at three different doses (40, 80 or 160 mg/kg body weight) for 8 weeks in hyperlipidemic mice. In addition, BEA decreased the levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in serum. Finally, superoxide dismutase activity and the total antioxidation capacity were evidently increased, while the malondialdehyde level and the distribution of lipid droplets were reduced in liver cells of BEA-treated mice. Taken together, the findings of this study suggested that BEA had a strong hypolipidemic function and could be used as a supplement in healthcare foods and drugs or in combination with other hypolipidemic drugs.

The present study was designed to investigate the antihyperglycemic activity of the aqueous extract of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seed residues (ASSR) in streptozotocin (STZ) and high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced type 2 diabetic rats. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into a normal control group (control), diabetic group and diabetic group supplemented with ASSR. Type 2 diabetes was induced by intravenous injection of low‐dose STZ (25 mg/kg b.w.) and feeding with HFD for 10 weeks. Vehicle (distilled water) and ASSR (400 mg/kg b.w.) were orally administered once a day for 6 weeks. Our results showed that administration of ASSR significantly lowered the body weight, serum glucose, total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in diabetic rats. Meanwhile, ASSR also significantly increased insulin sensitivity index in diabetic rats. These results suggest that ASSR might exhibit hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in the STZ–HFD‐induced type 2 diabetic rats. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) bush, bearing delicious and nutritious orange‐colored berries, is locally called “Shaji” in China. The berry of sea buckthorn is one of the edible crude herbs that have been in use in Tibetan and Mongolian traditional medicines for a long time. In addition to medicinal use, the berries are processed into various products such as juice and marmalade, and are used for flavoring of dairy products. As a part of sea buckthorn berry, its seed is a by‐product of the berry processing industry and also contains many bioactive substances. It was demonstrated in this study that ASSR was of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties in experimental type 2‐like diabetic rats. Therefore, seed residues of sea buckthorn and its aqueous extract could be added as supplement in health‐care food or drugs or combined with other hypoglycemic drugs.