Effect of trigonelline and ethanol extract of Iraqi Fenugreek seeds on oxidative stress in alloxan diabetic rabbits

This study was designed to evaluate effect of trigonelline and ethanol extract of Iraqi Fenugreek seeds on oxidative stress in alloxan diabetic rabbits.Oral dose of (10 mg/12 h) isolated trigonelline or (7.7 ml/12 h) of ethanol extract of Iraqi Fenugreek seeds was administered to the rabbits for four weeks. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), as oxidative stress markers were measured in all rabbits before treatment and once weekly for four weeks after the treatment. The results showed a significant improvement in the stress induced oxidation parameters by alloxan-induced diabetes in rabbits.The ethanol extract of Fenugreek seeds significantly decreases the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) from 2.51 ± 0.34 μmol/l in diabetic control rabbits to 1.57 ± 0.12 μmol/l after four weeks (P < 0.05). The plasma glutathione (GSH) level increases significantly from 0.11 ± 0.02 μmol/l to 0.26 ± 0.02 μmol/l after four weeks of treatment of the ethanol extract (P < 0.05). The percent reduction in plasma MDA level was 37.45%, while the percent elevation in plasma GSH was 136% after four weeks of treatment. The data showed that isolated trigonelline was less effective than the ethanol extract of Fenugreek seeds in lowering plasma MDA or increasing the plasma GSH markers. The results of this study clearly indicate that both ethanol extract of Fenugreek and its major alkaloid, trigonelline are promising natural antioxidants and may be used in the treatment of many diseases, especially diabetes mellitus.