PHYTOPHENOLICS COMPOSITION, HYPOLIPIDEMIC, HYPOGLYCEMIC AND ANTIOXIDATIVE EFFECTS OF THE LEAVES OF FORTUNELLA JAPONICA (THUNB.) SWINGLE

Objective: Fortunella japonica (Thunb.) Swingle is an evergreen shrub, its whole fruit, including the peel, is eaten. There have been few detailed phytophenolics composition reports on this genus and the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the plant were not evaluated. Methods: Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectral analysis. Serum glucose level, activities of liver enzymes, total protein content, serum lipid profiles, antioxidant parameters and some glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were determined. The evaluation also carried out through determination of liver disorder biomarkers and histopathological examination of liver, kidney and pancreas. Results: Six phytophenolics were isolated, for the first time from the genus Fortunella as well as a sterol compound. Treatment with the ethanolic extract of F. japonica leaves effectively meliorated antioxidant markers and glycolytic enzymes. The histopathological analyzes also confirmed the experimental findings.Conclusion: The results show that the ethanolic extract has hypoglycemic, hypotriglyceridemic and antioxidant effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats, suggesting that this extract supplementation can be useful in preventing diabetic complications associated with hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress.Â