Effect of Moringa oleifera Bark Extracts on Dexamethasone-induced Insulin Resistance in Rats

Abstract

Background:

Experimental study has revealed the antidiabetic potentials of ethanolic extract of the bark of Moringa oleifera Lam., (Moringaceae), a multipurpose tree of south Asia.

Objective:

To investigate the effects of alcoholic and petroleum ether extracts of Moringa oleifera bark on acute and chronic insulin resistance induced by dexamethasone in rats.

Materials and Methods:

Dexamethasone (dexa) was administered for 11 days (1 mg/kg, s. c., once daily) and single dose (1 mg/kg, i. p.) to induce chronic and acute insulin resistance respectively. 2 doses each of alcoholic (AE125 and AE250 mg/kg) and petroleum ether extracts (PEE30 and PEE60 mg/kg) and single dose each of alcoholic (AE250 mg/kg) and petroleum ether extract (PEE 60 mg/kg) of Moringa oleifera bark were tested in chronic and acute studies. At the end of the studies fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride levels and oral glucose tolerance were measured.

Results:

In chronic study, treatment of rats with AE125 and AE250 prevented dexamethasone-induced hypertriglyceridemia and oral glucose intolerance but not fasting hyperglycemia, whereas both PEE30 and PEE60 had no effects on any of these parameters measured except that significant reduction of triglyceride level was observed in PEE60 treated rats. Oral glucose intolerance induced by single dose administration of dexamethasone was prevented by AE250 but not by PEE60. In normal rats AE250 treatment improved the glucose tolerance, where as PEE60 had no effect on this parameter.

Conclusion:

The present study indicates that AE of Moringa oleifera prevents dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in peripheral tissues.

Key words

moringa oleifera - insulin resistance - dexamethasone - serum triglyceride - oral glucose tolerance test

• References

• 1 Diabetes Atlas Committee, International Diabetes Association . Diabetes atlas, 2003;
• 2 Lillioja S, Mott DM, Spraul M et al. Insulin resistance and insulin secretory dysfunction as precursors of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: prospective studies of Pima Indians. N Engl J Med 1993; 329: 1988-1992
• 3 Azen P, Peters DS, Berkowitz MD et al. TRIPOD (Troglitazone In the Prevention of Diabetes): a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of troglitazone in women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus. Controlled Clinical Trials 1998; 19: 217-231
• 4 Kar A, Choudhary BK, Bandyopadhyay NG. Comparative evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of some Indian medicinal plants in alloxan diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2003; 84: 105-108
• 5 Nadkarni KM Indian material medica. Vol-1(Bombay popular prakashan reprints, Mumbai) 2005; 811-816
• 6 Meena AK, Sachan A, Kaur R et al. Moringa oleifera: A Review. Journal of Pharmacy Research 2010; 3: 840-842
• 7 Magadi RG Botanical and vernacular names of south Indian plants, (Divya Chandra prakashana, Bangalore) 2001; 282-283
• 8 Anonymous The wealth of India, A dictionary of Indian raw materials and industrial products, First supplement series (Raw materials), vol 4, J-Q, (National institute of science communication NISCOM, New Delhi) 2003; 158-160
• 9 Chopra RN, Nayar SL, Chopra IC. Glossary of Indian medicinal plants, (Council of scientific and industrial research, New Delhi). 1956: 170
• 10 Anwar F, Latif S, Ashraf M et al. Moringa oleifera: A Food Plant with Multiple Medicinal Uses. Phytother Res 2007; 21: 17-25
• 11 Kar A, Choudhary BK, Bandyopadhyay NG. Comparative evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of some Indian medicinal plants in alloxan diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2003; 84: 105-108
• 12 Kumbhare MR, Guleha V, Sivakumar T. Estimation of total phenolic content, cytotoxicity and in-vitro antioxidant activity of stem bark of Moringa oleifera 2012; 2: 144-150
• 13 Bennett RN, Mellon FA, Foidl N et al. Profiling glucosinolates and phenolics in vegetative and reproductive tissues of the multi-purpose trees Moringa oleifera L. (horseradish tree) and Moringa stenopetala L. J Agric Food Chem 2003; 51: 3546-3553
• 14 Warrier PK, Nambiar VPK, Ramankutty C Indian medicinal plants; A compendium of 500 species, Vol 4, (Orient Longman private limited, Madras) 1995; 59-64
• 15 Anonymous The wealth of India (A Dictionary of Indian Raw Materials and Industrial Products) Raw materials, Vol VI, L-M, (National institute of science communication and Information resources, council of scientific and industrial research, New Delhi) 2003; 425-429
• 16 Buren J, Lai YC, Lundgren M et al. Insulin action and signalling in fat and muscle from dexamethasone–treated rats. Arch Biochem Biophys 2008; 474: 91-101
• 17 Dake Qi, Thomas P, Ding A et al. Single-Dose dexamethasone induces whole-body insulin resistance and alters both cardiac fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism. Diabetes 2004; 53: 1790-1797
• 18 Barham D, Trinder P. An improved color reagent for the determination of blood glucose by the oxidase system. Analyst 1972; 97: 142-145
• 19 Buccolo G, David H. Quantative determination of serum triglycerides by use of enzymes. Clin Chem 1973; 19: 476-482
• 20 Allian CC, Poon LS, Chan CS et al. Enzymatic determination of total serum cholesterol. Clin Chem 1974; 20: 470-475
• 21 Severino C, Brizzi P, Solinas A et al. Low-dose dexamethasone in the rat: a model to study insulin resistance. Am J Physiol 2002; 283: 367-373
• 22 De Fronzo Tripathy D. Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is the primary defect in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes care 2009; 32: S157-S163
• 23 Corcoran PM, Lamon-Fava S, Fielding RA. Skeletal muscle lipid deposition and insulin resistance: effect of dietary fatty acids and exercise. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85: 662-677
• 24 Kar A, Choudhary BK, Bandyopadhyay NG. Comparative evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of some Indian medicinal plants in alloxan diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2003; 84: 105-108
• 25 Szkudelski T. The mechanism of alloxan and streptozotocin action in B cells of the rat pancreas. Physiol Res 2001; 50: 536-546
• 26 Kianbakht S, Hajiaghaee R. Anti-hyperglycemic effects of saffron and its active constituents, crocin and safranal, in alloxan induced diabetic rats. J med plants 2011; 10: 82-89
• 27 Jurbe G. Glycosides fraction extracted from fruit pulp of Cucumis metuliferus E. Meyer has antihyperglycemic effect in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes. J Natu Pharm 2011; 2: 48-51
• 28 Solomon RBG, Rao GB, Latha MYB. Anti-hyperglycemic activity of Hygrophila spinosa roots in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Int J pharm and Ind Res 2011; 1: 315-317
• 29 Hakkim FL, Girija S, Kumar SR et al. Effect of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Cassia auriculata L. flowers on diabetes using alloxan induced diabetic rats. Int J Dia Met 2007; 15: 100-106