Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the methanol extracts of Cleome ramosissima Parl., Barleria bispinosa (Forssk.) Vahl. and Tribulus macropterus Boiss.

The antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the methanolic extracts of the aerial parts of Cleome ramosissima Parl. (Cleomaceae), Barleria bispinosa (Forssk.) Vahl. (Acanthaceae) and Tribulus macropterus Boiss. (Zygophyllaceae) were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats at a dose of 500 mg/kg bw. The reduction in fasting blood glucose level (BGL) was observed in the following order C. ramosissima, B. bispinosa and T. macropterus at the 4th week of administration. C. ramosissima and T. macropterus also showed significant increase in plasma insulin by 100.6% and 189.9%, respectively. The studied plant extracts induced an increase in both utilization and tolerance of glucose in diabetic rats. The hypolipidemic effect of C. ramosissima and T. macropterus was demonstrated by a significant reduction in plasma total cholesterol (TC) (42.6% and 37.2%, respectively) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (48.0% and 42.1%, respectively) and the increase of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) by 81.0% and 91.9%, respectively. B. bispinosa decreased the blood levels of LDL-C and increased the levels of HDL-C, while it did not affect the TC blood levels. The present data suggest that C. ramosissima and T. macropterus have both antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects with high insulin-secreting activity.