Antidiabetic, hypolipidaemic and antioxidant activity of Dodonaea viscosa aerial parts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

We evaluated the antidiabetic and antioxidant activity of Dodonaea viscosa in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The water extract (DVW) and polar fraction of ethanol extract (DVE-4) in a single-dose one-day study showed dose-dependent reduction in glucose levels with maximum effect of 42.16% and 72.9% respectively at 6 h post drug treatment (p<0.001). DVE-4 was more active than DVW and glibenclamide. In a multi-dose fifteen-day study, lower doses of DVW (400 mg/kg) and DVE-4 (200 mg/kg) exhibited higher percentage reduction in glucose levels compared to glibenclamide treated group. Altered levels of lipids, TBARS, non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants were restored by DVW (400 mg/kg) and DVE-4 (200 mg/kg) in diabetic rats. In vitro steady state and time resolved studies reveled that DVW and DVE-4 showed comparable antioxidant ability in steady state and kinetic studies suggesting its possible role in observed antidiabetic and hypolipidaemic activities.Keywords: Antidiabetic, Antioxidant enzymes, Dodonaea viscosa, Free radical scavenger, Hypolipidaemic, Streptozotoci

Ficus racemosa Stem Bark Extract: A Potent Antioxidant and a Probable Natural Radioprotector

Ethanol extract (FRE) and water extract (FRW) of Ficus racemosa (family: Moraceae) were subjected to free radical scavenging both by steady state and time resolved methods such as nanosecond pulse radiolysis and stopped-flow spectrophotometric analyses. FRE exhibited significantly higher steady state antioxidant activity than FRW. FRE exhibited concentration dependent DPPH, ABTS•−, hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical scavenging and inhibition of lipid peroxidation with IC50 comparable with tested standard compounds. In vitro radioprotective potential of FRE was studied using micronucleus assay in irradiated Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells (V79). Pretreatment with different doses of FRE 1h prior to 2 Gy γ-radiation resulted in a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the percentage of micronucleated binuclear V79 cells. Maximum radioprotection was observed at 20 μg/ml of FRE. The radioprotection was found to be significant (P < 0.01) when cells were treated with optimum dose of FRE (20 μg/ml) 1 h prior to 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Gy γ-irradiation compared to the respective radiation controls. The cytokinesis-block proliferative index indicated that FRE does not alter radiation induced cell cycle delay. Based on all these results we conclude that the ethanol extract of F. racemosa acts as a potent antioxidant and a probable radioprotector