EFFECT OF NYCTANTHES ARBORTRISTIS LINN. LEAVES AGAINST STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN RATS

Abstract

Nyctanthes arbortristis Linn. (Fam: Nyctanthaceae) is commonly known as ‘Harsinghar’ and its leaves are traditionally used to treat fevers, rheumatism, liver disorders and as expectorant. The present work is aimed to evaluate the effect of leaves of N. arbortristis on antioxidant enzymes status in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. STZ diabetic rats showed decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in serum as compared to normal. Daibetic animals were treated with 50% ethanolic extract of N. arborists Leaves (NAEt; 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w) for three weeks. Oral administration of NAEt showed a marked reduction in an elevated level of serum glucose as compared with diabetic group. NAEt significantly increased SOD (p<0.05), CAT (p<0.05, p<0.01), GPx (p<0.01) in serum at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg. Further, NAEt significantly inhibited the lipid peroxidation by reducing TBARS in liver. The results suggested that oral administration of NAEt possesses significant antidiabetic and antioxidant potential. It was concluded that antidiabetic effect of N. arbortristis may due to its antioxidant compounds which neutralizes the oxidative stress in diabetic condition.