Centella asiatica (L.) Urban (Family: Apiaceae) is a perennial herb that has been used to elevate mood, improve memory, treat
wounds and manage kidney-related ailments in
African traditional medicine practice. This study evaluated the potential benefits of C. asiatica (CA) on diabetes-induced stress in kidney and brain of rats. Following the induction of
diabetes mellitus (DM), rats were orally treated with vehicle, CA or
Metformin daily for 14 days.
After treatment, renal and brain levels of inflammatory
cytokines, TNF-α, IFN-γ,
IL-4, and
IL-10 were assessed.
Oxidant and
antioxidant biomarkers were also evaluated. Phyto-compounds in the crude
methanol extract of CA were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy. Diabetes increased
malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration by 39%; elevated levels of TNF-α (44%) and IFN-γ (20%); and reduced the
antioxidant status in the kidney in comparison to normal control rats. In the brain, diabetic control rats had significantly greater levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IFN-γ (182%, 40%, and 20%, respectively) in addition to the lowered
antioxidant status when compared to normal control rats. However, treatment with CA significantly reduced the renal levels of MDA (33%), TNF-α (78%), and IFN-γ (42%) while that of
IL-10 increased by 18% when compared to diabetic control rats. In the brain, CA treatment elicited significant reductions in MDA (37%), TNF-α (30%), and IFN-γ (37%) levels while those of
IL-4 and
IL-10 increased by 94% and 20% respectively. In addition, the renal and brain
antioxidant status was significantly boosted by CA treatment. Several medicinal compounds including
ascorbic acid,
asiatic acid,
oleanolic acid,
stevioside,
stigmasterol, and α-
humulene were identified in the
crude extract of CA. Findings from this study suggest CA may protect diabetic tissues from stress via
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms that can be useful in the management of
diabetic complications.