Middha, Sushil Kumar

Pande, Veena

Usha, Talambedu

Eldorado - Ressourcen aus und für Lehre, Studium und Forschung

EXCLI Journal 2014;13:223-224 – ISSN 1611-2156 
Received: November 11, 2013, accepted: February 07, 2014, published: March 03, 2014 
 
 
223 
Letter to the editor: 
POMEGRANATE PEEL ATTENUATES HYPERGLYCEMIC EFFECTS 
OF ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS 
 
Sushil Kumar Middha1*, Talambedu Usha2, Veena Pande1 
 
1 Department of Biotechnology, Bhimtal Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital, India 
2 Department of Biochemistry, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College For Women,  
Malleswaram, Bangalore 560012, India 
* Corresponding author : Sushil Kumar Middha; Kumaun University, Bhimtal Campus, 
Nainital, Uttrakhand-263136, India; E-mail: sushil.middha@gmail.com;  
Phone: (+91)(01594)2248042, Fax: (+91)(01594)2248042 
 
 
 
Dear Editor, 
Diabetes is a major epidemic chronic metabolic ailment worldwide (WHO, 2008). It is 
characterized by insufficiency of insulin secretion and/or action, insulin resistance, and ab-
normal metabolism of glucose, lipid and protein (WHO, 2008; Middha et al., 2011). Today, 
diabetes has become a pandemic affecting approximately 5 % of people in both developed 
and developing countries. Globally, diabetes causes high mortality and is the second most 
common cause of death after cancer (Middha et al., 2012). According to the diabetes atlas, in 
2025 India, China and the United States would gain region-wise emphasis as top three coun-
tries with people suffering from diabetes (Allgot et al., 2003). In 2011, type 2 diabetes melli-
tus (T2DM) was detected in about 370 million people and accounted for approximately 4.6 
million deaths annually, causing substantial medical and economic burden worldwide.  
Diabetic research also comprises herbal medicines (Middha et al., 2013a; Usha et al., 
2013; Kiran et al., 2013). Pomegranate (Punica granatum), a fruit of promise, is considered as 
holy fruit for its therapeutic purpose since antiquity and is used as an alternative medicine in 
Ayurveda and other traditional medicines worldwide (Jurenka, 2008; Hajimahmoodi et al., 
2008; Middha et al., 2013b). The probable scientific validation of the herbal drug extracted 
from pomegranate peel from Kumauni region was evaluated in an alloxan-induced diabetes 
model. The effects of methanolic extract of pomegranate peel (PGPE) (two diverse oral doses: 
LP=75 mg/kg body weight and HP=150 mg/kg body weight) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), 
lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA]), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase 
[SOD] and glutathione peroxidase [GPx]) were tested and compared with standard drugs for 6 
weeks.  
Both doses of PGPE increased the plasma insulin levels by one and five folds and aug-
mented the levels of the following antioxidants (P<0.05): SOD by 39.68 % and 75.03 %, GPx 
by 20.07 % and 67.60 % in plasma, SOD by 44 % and 66 %, GPx by 50 % and 80 % in kid-
ney, respectively. Although PGPE did not decrease the plasma MDA level when compared to 
diabetic controls, a significant reduction in MDA levels was observed in the kidney (LP; 16.8 
and HP; 52.08 %; P<0.001) (unpublished data). Histopathological studies validated our find-
ings which were in accordance with that observed by Parmer and Kar (2008). Increase in the 
level of insulin following administration of PGPE in experimental animals indicates the resto-
ration of pancreatic β-cells and demonstrates the anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant proper-
ties of PGPE.  
 
EXCLI Journal 2014;13:223-224 – ISSN 1611-2156 
Received: November 11, 2013, accepted: February 07, 2014, published: March 03, 2014 
 
 
224 
REFERENCES 
Allgot B, Gan D, King H, Lefèbvre P, Mbanya J-C, 
Silink M et al. Diabetes atlas. 2nd ed. Executive 
summary. Brussels: International Diabetes Federa-
tion, 2003 (p 58). 
http://www.idf.org/sites/default/files/IDF_Diabetes_
Atlas_2ndEd.pdf 
Hajimahmoodi M, Oveisi MR, Sadeghi N, Jannat B, 
Hadjibabaie M, Farahani E, Akrami MR et al. Anti-
oxidant properties of peel and pulp hydro extract in 
ten Persian Punica granatum cultivars. Pak J Biol 
Sci 2008;11:1600-4. 
Jurenka JS. Therapeutic applications of pomegranate 
(Punica granatum L.): a review. Altern Med Rev 
2008;13;128-44. 
Kiran B, Lalitha V, Raveesha KA. 2013. Psoralea 
corylifolia L. a potent medicinal plant with broad 
spectrum of medicinal properties. Int J Fund Appl 
Sci 2013;2:20–2. 
Middha SK, Bhattacharjee B, Saini D, Baliga MS, 
Nagaveni MB, Usha T. Protective role of Trigonella 
foenum graceum extract against oxidative stress in 
hyperglycemic rats. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 
2011;15:427-35. 
Middha SK, Usha T, RaviKiran T. Influence of 
Punica granatum L. on region specific responses in 
rat brain during alloxan-induced diabetes. Asian 
Pacific J Trop Biomed 2012;2:S905-9. 
Middha SK, Usha T, Pande V. A review on antihy-
perglycemic and antihepatoprotective activity of 
eco-friendly Punica granatum peel waste. Evid 
Based Complement Alternat Med 2013a;2013: 
656172. doi:10.1155/2013/656172. 
Middha SK, Usha T, Pande V. HPLC evaluation of 
phenolic profile, nutritive content and antioxidant 
capacity of extracts obtained from Punica granatum 
fruit peel. Adv Pharmacol Sci 2013b;2013:296236. 
doi:10.1155/2013/296236. 
Parmar HS, Kar A. Antidiabetic potential of Citrus 
sinensis and Punica granatum peel extracts in allox-
an treated male mice. BioFactors 2007;31:17-24. 
Usha T, Akshya L, Kundu S, Nair RK, Hussain I, 
Middha SK. An updated version of  Phyto-mellitus 
database for diabetes. Int J Fund Appl Sci 2013;2: 
29.  
World Health Organization. Diabetes fact sheet. 
2008; available at:  
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/ 


Pomegranate peel attenuates hyperglycemic effects of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

https://eldorado.tu-dortmund.de/bitstream/2003/33552/1/Pande_03032014_proof.pdf

Pomegranate peel attenuates hyperglycemic effects of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Eldorado - Ressourcen aus und für Lehre, Studium und Forschung