Clinical research has confirmed the efficacy of several
plant extracts in the modulation of oxidative stress associated with
hyperlipidemia and
hyperglycemia induced by
obesity and diabetes. Findings indicate that
obtusifolin has
antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effects of
obtusifolin against oxidative damage in diabetic
hyperlipidemia and
hyperglycemia. In this study, the rats were divided into the following groups with eight animals in each: control, untreated diabetic, three
obtusifolin (10, 30, and 90 mg/kg/day)-treated diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced by
streptozotocin (STZ) in rats. STZ was injected intraperitoneally at a single dose of 60 mg/kg for diabetes induction.
Obtusifolin (
intraperitoneal injection) was administered 3 days after STZ administration; these
injections were continued to the end of the study (4 weeks). At the end of the 4-week period, blood was drawn for biochemical assays. In order to determine the changes of cellular
antioxidant defense systems,
antioxidant enzymes including
glutathione peroxidase (GPx),
superoxide dismutase (SOD), and
catalase (CAT) activities were measured in serum. Moreover, we also measured serum
nitric oxide (NO) and serum
malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, markers of lipid peroxidation. STZ-induced diabetes caused an elevation (P < 0.001) of
blood glucose, MDA, NO, total
lipids,
triglycerides and
cholesterol, with reduction of GSH level and CAT and SOD activities. The results indicated that the significant elevation in the
blood glucose, MDA, NO, total
lipids,
triglycerides and
cholesterol; also the reduction of
glutathione level and CAT and SOD activity were ameliorated in the
obtusifolin-treated diabetic groups compared with the untreated groups, in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001). These results suggest that
obtusifolin has
antioxidant properties and improves chemically induced diabetes and its complications by modulation of oxidative stress.