Antidiabetic activity of hydro-alcoholic stem bark extract of Callicarpa arborea Roxb. with antioxidant potential in diabetic rats

Abstract

Background: Despite the availability of synthetic antidiabetic drugs, diabetes mellitus is still affecting millions of people with increasing rate of disease incidence and mortality throughout the world. Ethnomedicinal survey documents the traditional usefulness of Callicarpa arborea Roxb. stem bark in the management of diabetes mellitus.

Materials and methods: In our study, hydro-alcoholic extract (HAE) of Callicarpa arborea stem bark was prepared according to WHO guidelines for herbal drugs, and screened for antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Acute oral toxicity and in vitro antioxidant activity studies along with phytochemical analyses of HAE were also carried out.

Results: Acute oral toxicity study indicated that HAE was safe up to a dose of 2000mg/kg body weight of rats. Results of antidiabetic activity study revealed that HAE of C. arborea stem bark possesses significant (p<0.05) hypoglycemic activity compared to normal control group in experimental rats. Histological observations of treated pancreas and liver tissues confirmed the antidiabetic efficacy of HAE. In antioxidant activity, HAE exhibited significant radical scavenging activity.

Conclusion: From results, it can be concluded that HAE of C. arborea stem bark may have possible role as herbal antioxidants in the prevention and/or treatment of oxidative stress-induced diabetes mellitus. The antioxidant property of plant phenolic and flavonoid contents present in HAE might be responsible for the antidiabetic efficacy of C. arborea stem bark.

Keywords: Antidiabetic; Antioxidant; Callicarpa arborea; Hydro-alcoholic; Plant flavonoids; Stem bark.