Antidiabetic and Antihyperlipidemic Activities of Methanolic Leaf Extract of <i>Stephania japonica</i> in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

This present study was aimed to investigate the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities of methanolic leaf extract (LE) of Stephania japonica alone and in combination with metformin in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Primarily acute toxicity study and oral glucose tolerance test were performed. Diabetes was confirmed after 12 days of single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (120 mg/kg BW) in albino male rats. Rats were divided into six groups’; normal control (Group I) and diabetic induced groups as (Group II, III, IV, V and VI). Group III & IV were treated with leaf extract of S. japonica (200 mg/kg BW & 350 mg/kg BW). Group V (Met 850 mg/70 kg BW) and group VI: (combination of Met 425 mg/70 kg BW and LE 250 mg/kg BW) for four weeks. Body weight of each rat in the different groups was recorded at 0, 7 th , 14 th , 21 st and 28 th day of treatment. TC, TG, LDL-C and HDL-C were measured analytically after 28 days of treatment. Alloxan induction also caused left ventricular hypertrophy. LE of S. Japonica showed a good result in OGTT. Oral treatment of different doses of LE and combination therapy reduced elevated level of BG, TC, TG, LDL-C and increased HDL-C level significantly (p < 0.001) but extract (350 mg/kg BW) therapy was the most effective. Moreover, LE reduced LVH and improved BW of each rat. Extract from S. japonica (Thunb.) Miers showed antihyperlipidemic and antidiabetic effect and hence could be suggested as a potential therapeutic agent for diabetic treatment.