Search

Ethnopharmacological relevance Centaurium erythraea Rafn (CE), Artemisia herba-alba Asso (AHA) and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TFG) are traditionally used to treat type 2 diabetes in Algeria, previous studies have found that extracts of these plants were effective to treat or prevent experimental diabetes induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Aim of the study Describe the additional effects of these extracts on lipid tissue deposition in HFD. Materials and methods Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with HFD to induce type 2 Diabetes. Groups of mice were given plant extracts orally at 2 g/kg/bodyweight daily for 20 weeks during establishment of diabetes, or for 18 weeks after confirmation of diabetes at the 17th week. Liver and other tissue samples were stained with Oil Red O. Results Liver steatosis was confirmed with HFD. CE, AHA and TFG extracts improved liver steatosis by the end of the preventive (20 weeks) and curative periods (35 weeks). This was most marked for CE extract ( p <0.05), less so with TFG and AHA. No steatosis was found in other tissues. Conclusion CE extract had a clear hepatoprotective effect in this mouse model of diet-induced type 2 diabetes. AHA and TFG had a minimal or no significant effect on steatosis. Beyond its effect as an antidiabetic agent, CE may also be promising to prevent or treat non-alcoholic liver steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TFG) is traditionally used to treat diabetes in North Africa. we therefore tested the effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of TFG seeds in a C57/BL6J mouse model of diabetes induced by a standardised high-fat diet (HFD). Materials and methods: Plant extracts (2g/kg daily) were administered orally by gavage at the start of HFD, or after confirmation of established diabetes (17th week), for 20 or 18 weeks, respectively, to male C57BL/6J mice. Animals were weighed; food intake and plasma glucose, lipid profile, insulin and insulin resistance were measured. Results: TFG extracts opposed the development of diabetes: compared with untreated HFD mice, TFG-treated HFD mice had lower mean (±SD) plasma glucose (129.3±39.4 vs. 183.1±19.1mg/dL, p<0.05), plasma insulin (1.3±0.8 vs. 3.1±1.8ng/mL, p<0.05) and triglycerides (18.9±12.9 vs. 48.9±12.1mg/dL, p<0.05), and less insulin resistance as estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA: 9.7±11.1 vs. 38.3±26.6, p<0.05). In mice with established diabetes, TFG reduced fasting plasma glucose (170.4±24.1 vs. 229.0±20.8mg/dL, p<0.05), plasma insulin (1.7± 1.3 vs. 3.3±14.3ng/mL, p<0.05) and insulin resistance (HOMA: TFG: 19.2±15.7 vs. HFD control: 38.5±30.3, p<0.05). In addition, administration of TFG extract also caused significant reduction in triglycerides (17.9±9.7 vs. 62.8±18.3mg/dL, p<0.05) and total cholesterol (1.30±0.20 vs. 1.80±1.10g/L, p<0.05), and an increase in HDL-cholesterol (1.6±0.2 vs. 1.2±0.1g/L). The plant extract had no effect on calorie intake or body weight. Conclusion: TFG extract opposed the development of experimental HFD diabetes in mice, and had an anti-diabetic effect in mice with established diabetes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]