Improved glycemic control, pancreas protective and hepatoprotective effect by traditional poly-herbal formulation "Qurs Tabasheer" in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Background: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and hepatoprotective effect of a traditional unani formulation "Qurs Tabasheer" in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic wistar rats. Up till now no study was undertaken to appraise the efficacy of "Qurs Tabasheer" in the diabetic rats. Qurs Tabasheer is a unani formulation restraining preparations from five various herbs namely Tukhme Khurfa (Portulaca oleracea seed), Gule Surkh (Rosa damascena flower), Gulnar (Punica granatum flower), Tabasheer (Bambusa arundinasia dried exudate on node), Tukhme Kahu (Lactuca sativa Linn seed).

Methods: Effect of Qurs Tabasheer was assessed in STZ (60 mg/kg, i.p single shot) induced diabetic wistar rats. STZ produced a marked increase in the serum glucose, Total Cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides and trim down the HDL level. We have weighed up the effect of Qurs Tabasheer on hepatic activity through estimating levels of various liver enzymes viz. Hexokinase, Glucose-6-Phosphatase and Fructose-1-6-biphosphatase in STZ diabetic wistar rats.

Results: In STZ-induced diabetic wistar rats level of Hexokinase, and Glucose-6-Phosphatase was decreased to a significant level while the level of fructose-1-6-biphophatase was augmented. Therapy with Qurs Tabasheer for 28 days to STZ-induced diabetic rats significantly reduces the level of serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1-6-biphosphatase, while magnitude of HDL cholesterol and hexokinase was amplified.

Conclusion: Antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic activity of Qurs Tabasheer extract in STZ- induced wistar rats was found to be more effective than standard oral hypoglycemic drug Glimepiride.

Figure 1

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on glycemic control at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 2

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on level of plasma insulin at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 3

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on glycated heamoglobin (A1c) (%) at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 4

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on total cholesterol at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 5

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on serum triglycerides at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 6

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on level of hexokinase at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 7

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on level of glucose-6-phosphatase at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 8

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on level of fructose-1-6-biphosphatase at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 9

Effect of Qurs Tabasheer on body weight at different concentrations on normal and STZ induced diabetic rats, compared to standard drug Glimepiride; values are mean ± SEM; n = 6; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; P > 0.05 is considered as non-significant (ns).

Figure 10

PN = Photomicrograph of section of normal pancreas (150x), showing normal lobules of pancreatic acini. PQ = Photomicrograph of section of pancreas (150x) of normal rat administered with 200 mg/kg/p.o of Qurs Tabasheer, showing normal lobules and pancreatic acini. PST = Photomicrograph of section of pancreas of STZ treated diabetic Wistar rat, 150x, yellow arrows showing lobules of pancreatic acini with areas of fibrosis. PGL = Photomicrograph of section of pancreas of diabetic rat treated with Glimepiride alone for 28 days, (150x), yellow arrows showing mild fibrosis of pancreatic acini. PQ 50 = Section of pancreas of diabetic Wistar rat treated with Qurs Tabasheer (50 mg/kg p.o) for 28 days, (150x), yellow arrows showing mild fibrosis of pancreatic acini and normal islet of langerhans. PQ 100 = Photomicrograph of section of pancreas of diabetic Wistar rat treated with Qurs Tabasheer (100 mg/kg p.o) for 28 days (150x), yellow arrows showing very mild fibrosis of pancreatic acini. PQ 200 = Photomicrograph of section of pancreas of diabetic Wistar rat treated with with Qurs Tabasheer (200 mg/kg p.o) for 28 days (150x), yellow arrows showing normal pancreatic acini and islet of langerhans.

Figure 11

LN = Photomicrograph of section of liver of normal control rat (150x), yellow arrows showing lobular pattern with a centrilobular vein and scorching irregular anastomosing plates of hepatocytes with intervening sinusoids. LQ = Photomicrograph of section of liver of normal control rat received 200 mg/kg p.o of Qurs Tabasheer (150x), yellow arrows showing normal lobular pattern and hepatocytes. LS = Photomicrograph of section of liver of STZ-diabetic rat (150 x) yellow arrow demonstrate accumulation of droplets with distorted morphology of hepatocytes, centrilobular vein and sinusoids. LG = Photomicrograph of section of liver of STZ-diabetic rat (150 x) administered with 1 mg/kg p.o of Glimepiride, yellow arrow portrayed no signs of normal hepatocytes and normal lobular pattern. LQ 50 = Photomicrograph of section of liver of STZ-diabetic rat (150 x) administered with 50 mg/kg p.o of Qurs Tabasheer, yellow arrow exhibits docile hepatocytes and slightly distorted cetrilobular vein. LQ 100 = Photomicrograph of section of liver of STZ-diabetic rat (150 x) administered with 100 mg/kg p.o of Qurs Tabasheer, yellow arrow revealed slightly normal hepatocytes and sinusoids. LQ 200 = Photomicrograph of section of liver of STZ-diabetic rat (150 x) administered with 200 mg/kg p.o of Qurs Tabasheer, yellow arrow divulged the marked improvement in the distorted cetrilobular vein and hapatocytes.