Antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities of traditional aqueous extract of Zygophyllum album in streptozotocin diabetic mice

Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate the antihyperglycemic, antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic effects of the aqueous extract of Zygophyllum album on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Methods: Diabetes was induced in Swiss albino mice by the administration of STZ (45 mg/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally. Aqueous extract of Z. album (100 and 300 mg/kg b.w.) was administered by oral gavage once a day for a period of 15 days. The effect of the extract on blood glucose, lipids, cholesterol levels in plasma, and also on enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidants of defence systems such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activities, and vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione reductase (GSH) levels in liver and pancreas were studied. Results: Our results showed that Z. album extract reduced the blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels in STZ-diabetic mice. It also significantly abolished the increase in MDA level, and GPx, SOD and CAT activities in both liver and pancreas. The levels of GSH, vitamin C and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were significantly augmented in Z. album treated diabetic mice in comparison with control group. Our findings suggest that Z. album aqueous extract prevented the diabetic induced MDA levels via the enhancement of the tissue GSH and blood vitamin C levels. Conclusions: These results suggest that Z. album extract exerts the anti-diabetic and antihypercholesterolemic activities through its antioxidant properties.