A treatment with a boiled aqueous extract of Hancornia speciosa Gomes leaves improves the metabolic status of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:10:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-04-17 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Background: Hancornia speciosa is usually used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat diabetes. The hypothesis of the present study is that this medicinal plant exerts beneficial effects on hyperglycemia, preventing diabetic complications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment effect of the aqueous extract of H. speciosa leaves on metabolic parameters of diabetic rats. Methods: The H. speciosa extract (400 mg/Kg) was administered to both nondiabetic and severely diabetic female Wistar rats by gavage. The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test was performed and the area under the curve (AUC) was estimated on day 17 of pregnancy. After 21 days of treatment, the animals were anesthetized and killed to obtain organ weights. Blood samples were collected for an analysis of serum biochemical parameters. Results: After treatment with the H. speciosa extract, the parameters of nondiabetic rats remained unchanged. In treated diabetic rats, glycemia, AUC, dyslipidemia parameters, and relative organ weights were decreased compared with nontreated diabetic rats. Severely diabetic rats showed decompensated hyperglycemia, polydipsia, hyperphagia and dyslipidemia. However, the aqueous extract of H. speciosa leaves decreased diabetes complications (indicating a lack of toxicity), reduced blood glucose levels, and exerced lipid-lowering effects. Conclusion: Based on or findings, the H. speciosa leaf extract may be a safe and promising candidate treatment for diabetes and other diseases. Laboratory of System Physiology and Reproductive Toxicology Institute of Biological and Health Sciences Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Valdon Varjão 6390 Laboratory of Experimental Research on Gynecology and Obstetrics Botucatu Medical School Univ Estadual Paulista_Unesp, Distrito de Rubião Júnior s/n Laboratory of Experimental Research on Gynecology and Obstetrics Botucatu Medical School Univ Estadual Paulista_Unesp, Distrito de Rubião Júnior s/n