Abstract
This study was undertaken to investigate the hypoglycaemic activity of Phragmenthera austroarabica A.G.Mill. & J.A.Nyberg extract and evaluate its possible antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidaemic effect in type 2 diabetic animal model. Type 2 diabetes was induced by a high-fat diet followed by injection with streptozotocin. Diabetic adult male Wistar rats were allocated into three groups and treated with pioglitazone HCl (PIO) or the extract of P. austroarabica A.G.Mill. & J.A.Nyberg (250 or 500 mg/kg b.wt.). In addition, a normal control group and a diabetic control group were used for comparison. Blood glucose, insulin resistance, oxidative stress parameter, antioxidant markers and serum lipids were evaluated. The extract of P. austroarabica A.G.Mill. & J.A.Nyberg exhibited a significant hypoglycaemia associated with antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidaemic effects in diabetic rats. The antioxidant activities are responsible, at least partly, for the improvements that have been noticed in hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance of diabetic rats. The extract revealed no symptoms of toxicity. It is concluded that this plant might be considered as an excellent candidate for future study on diabetes mellitus.