Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Activity of Leaf Extract and Solvent Fractions of Viscum Articulatum in Mice

Devi Lenka; Meher Jyothi B

doi:10.37022/jiaps.v11i3.980

Lenka Devi Department of Pharmacology, Avanthi Institute of Pharmaceutical Scinces, Tagarapuvalasa, Vizayanagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
B. Meher Jyothi Department of Pharmacology, Avanthi Institute of Pharmaceutical Scinces, Tagarapuvalasa, Vizayanagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI https://doi.org/10.37022/jiaps.v11i3.980

Abstract

Flavonoids are widely recognized for their antioxidant properties and have received considerable attention for their potential role in the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus. Their biological activities are strongly influenced by their chemical structures and mechanisms of action. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of the fruit of Viscum articulatum. The antioxidant activity was investigated using dot blot analysis, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay, 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and xanthine oxidase inhibition (XOI) assay. The antidiabetic activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of V. articulatum was evaluated at doses of 20 and 30 mg/kg body weight using an alloxan-induced diabetic rat model. Acute oral toxicity studies demonstrated that the extracts were well tolerated and produced no observable toxic effects at doses up to 2000 mg/kg body weight. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal administration of alloxan monohydrate following fasting. Fasting blood glucose levels were monitored on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days, while oral glucose tolerance was assessed on the 8th, 15th, and 22nd days. Glibenclamide was used as the standard antidiabetic drug. Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts produced a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose levels and improved oral glucose tolerance in diabetic rats, with the observed effects being comparable to those of glibenclamide. The extracts also demonstrated hypoglycemic activity in normal rats and considerable antioxidant potential. The findings suggest that V. articulatum fruit may exert antidiabetic effects through improvement of glycemic control and possible protection or regeneration of pancreatic insulin-secreting β-cells. Overall, the results support the traditional medicinal use of V. articulatum and indicate its potential as a natural source of antioxidant and antidiabetic agents.

Keywords: Viscum articulatum, antidiabetic activity, antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic activity, alloxan-induced diabetes, flavonoids

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