HYPOGLYCEMIC, HEPATO-RENAL AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF CHAMOMILE RECUTITA FLOWERS ETHANOLIC EXTRACT IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the hypoglycemic and hepatorenal protective effect of ethanolic extract of Chamomile recutita flowers in streptozotocin-Diabetic Rats. Before the beginning of the experiments, acute and subacute studies were carried out in control animals first to investigate the LD50 of this extract. In the experimental design, adult male albino rats were divided into five groups: (1) normal control, (2) control + extract, (3) diabetic control, (4) diabetic+extract and (5) diabetic+glibenclamide (200 µg kg^-1). The extract was given to the desired groups at a final dose of 500 mg kg^-1 and all treatments were administered orally for 4 weeks on daily basis. Serum glucose, insulin, activities of serum marker enzymes of liver function as well as markers of kidney function was measured. The oxidative stress was assessed by measuring lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and enzyme activities of Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) superoxide dismutase in both liver and kidney homogenates. The data showed that ethanolic flower extract of Chamomile recutita demonstrated high safety margin since the animals tolerated up to 10000 mg kg^-1 body weight of the extract orally in the acute toxicity study and tolerated repeated doses up to 500 mg kg^-1 for 28 days. Administration of the extract to control and diabetic rats caused significant decrease in glucose level in serum without improving insulin levels and resulted in significant increases in SOD and GPx activities with a parallel decrease in lipid peroxidation (TBARS levels) in the livers and kidneys. Furthermore, in diabetic rats, treatment with the extract resulted in significant decreases in the serum activities of liver enzymes including AST, ALT and ALP and in the levels of urea and creatinine. The hepatoprotective effect of the extract were confirmed by histological improvements in hepatic and renal tissue of the diabetic treated rats. However, the effect of the extract in diabetic rats was comparable to glibenclamide. This study demonstrates that Chamomile recutita flowers ethanolic extract has potent hypoglycemic, antioxidant and hepatorenal protective effects in diabetic rats.