Search

Objective: To study hypoglycemic effect of Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) leaf extract and its glucose uptake inhibition effect in rat small intestine ex-vivo and in vivo models. Methods: Hypoglycemic studies were carried out in glucose loaded and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic albino rats. Blood glucose levels were estimated at I, III and IV hour time intervals after administration of aqueous leaf extract of P. amarus. The study on the effect of plant extract on intestinal glucose absorption in rat was carried out using everted gut sacs. Results: The blood glucose levels were significantly depleted in the animals administered with aqueous leaf extract of P. amarus (250 mg/kg body weight). Incubation of the rat everted intestinal sacs with the aqueous leaf extract of P. amarus resulted in the inhibition of glucose transport across the intestinal membrane. Conclusions: The kinetic studies on the glucose transport inhibition across the intestinal membrane by the plant extract was a non competitive type of inhibition of the intestinal glucose transporter protein (GLUT2 and SGLT1) revealing the probable mechanism of hypoglycaemic effect of the aqueous leaf extract of P. amarus .

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effects of aqueous leaf extract of Enicostemma littorale (E. littorale) Blume (Ens) against ethanol induced hepatic injury in albino rats. Methods: Male albino rats of six numbers in each group were undertaken for study. Hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effect of E. littorale Blume (Ens) aqueous leaf extract at a dosage of 250 mg/kg bw was evaluated. Results: Levels of serum and tissue cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were elevated and levels of tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxide were increased in ethanol treated rats. The activity levels of liver antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) were decreased. After adiminstration of extract of E. littorale Blume, levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were decreased in serum and liver tissue, levels of TBARS and lipid hydroperoxide were decreased, and liver antioxidant enzymes were increased in liver tissue. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the aqueous leaf extract of E. littorale Blume (Ens) has potent restorative effect on hyperlipidaemic and oxidative stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]