Antihyperglycemic activity of Catharanthus roseus leaf powder in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors
Karuna Rasineni
Department of Biochemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur-515 003, Andhra Pradesh, India
Ramesh Bellamkonda
Department of Biochemistry, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati-517502, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sreenivasa Singareddy
Department of Biochemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur-515 003, Andhra Pradesh, India
Saralakumari Desireddy
Department of Biochemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur-515 003, Andhra Pradesh, India
Keywords:
Anti Catharanthus roseus, plasma insulin, plasma lipids, STZ-induced diabetes
Abstract
Catharanthus roseus Linn (Apocynaceae), is a traditional medicinal plant used to control diabetes, in various regions of the world. In this study we evaluated the possible antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effect of C. roseus (Catharanthus roseus) leaf powder in diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg body wt) to male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups: Control, control-treated, diabetic, and diabetic-treated group. Diabetic-treated and control-treated rats were treated with C. roseus leaf powder suspension in 2 ml distilled water, orally (100 mg/kg body weight/day/60 days). In diabetic rats (D-group) the plasma glucose was increased and the plasma insulin was decreased gradually. In the diabetic-treated group lowering of plasma glucose and an increase in plasma insulin were observed after 15 days and by the end of the experimental period the plasma glucose had almost reached the normal level, but insulin had not. The significant enhancement in plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and VLDL-cholesterol, and the atherogenic index of diabetic rats were normalized in diabetic-treated rats. Decreased hepatic and muscle glycogen content and alterations in the activities of enzymes of glucose metabolism (glycogen phosphorylase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase), as observed in the diabetic control rats, were prevented with C. roseus administration. Our results demonstrated that C. roseus with its antidiabetic and hypolipidemic properties could be a potential herbal medicine in treating diabetes.
Keywords: Anti Catharanthus roseus, plasma insulin, plasma lipids, STZ-induced diabetes
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