Effects of oral administration of some herbal extracts on food consumption and blood glucose levels in normal and streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats

Abstract

Previous studies in our laboratories suggest that oral administration of some herbal extracts reduce blood glucose concentrations in rats, possibly by interfering with food consumption and/or gastrointestinal absorption of food. Accordingly, we monitored the amounts of food consumed and body weights in separate groups of nondiabetic and streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats, orally treated with some plant extracts (20 mg 100 g -1 body weight) daily for 5 weeks. Control animals were administered the vehicle, citrate buffer (0.1 ml 100 g -1 body weight). Separate groups of rats administered allopathic hypoglycemic drugs metformin (50 mg 100 g -1 body weight) or glibenclamide (5 microg 100 g -1 body weight) acted as positive control animals. After 5 weeks, blood glucose concentrations were reduced in all the groups. Tapinanthus nyasicus leaf, Ficus thoningii bark, Solanum incanum fruit, and Morus alba leaf extracts decreased weekly food consumption throughout the 5-week study period. Similar results were obtained for the groups treated with metformin or glibenclamide. However, food consumption was increased by S. incanum root, Aloe chabaudii leaf, or Allium sativum bulb extracts, and this was associated with high prevalence of diarrhea. The herbal extracts and metformin did not affect serum insulin concentration in nondiabetic rats, while glibenclamide increased serum insulin concentration. In conclusion, it may be inferred that the herbal extracts examined produced hypoglycemia, probably by interfering with either food intake or gastrointestinal glucose absorption (as reported for metformin). These findings merit long-term investigation.

Effect of hydroalcohol extract of lemon (<i>Citrus limon</i>) peel on a rat model of type 2 diabetes

“…These results suggest that LP extracts may alleviate typical T2D symptoms. In previous studies, the antidiabetes mechanisms of natural plant medicines were found to be involved in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis, gastrointestinal glucose absorption, insulinotropic actions, and promoting pancreatic β-cell regeneration [18][19][20].…”

Antinociceptive properties ofFicus bengalensis(bark) in alloxan-induced diabetic mice

“…The plant is known to possess anti-inflammatory (Lansky et al 2008), antihyperglycemic (Musabayane et al 2006) and antioxidant (Palasuwan et al 2005) activities. The literature survey revealed that there are limited scientific studies carried out regarding antinociceptive activity on the bark of Ficus bengalensis to substantiate their therapeutic claim.…”

Long term exposure effect of a unique metabolic nutrition system containing a diverse group of phytochemicals on serum chemistry and genomic and non‐genomic changes in the liver of female B6C3F1 mice

“…Some of the herbal ingredients of MNSO, such as, gymnema (Gholap and Kar, 2004 ), allium (Musabayane et al, 2006), elutherococcus (Yeh et al, 2003), milk thistle (Velussi et al, 1997;Huseini et al, 2006) and ocimum (Hannan et al, 2006;Gupta et al, 2006) are known to facilitate hypoglycemia in diabetics with no apparent effect on normal subjects. Based on the concentrations used, these ingredients probably serve as powerful antioxidants and insulin regulators rather than hypoglycemics, and maintain natural metabolomics of the liver and pancreas.…”