Abstract

The Synergistic Efficacy of Medemia argun, Arecaceae, Seed's Ethanolic Extract to Insulin as Antidiabetic and Hepatoprotective Agent in Rats

Author(s): Asmaa Nabil Mohie*, Mahmoud Abdel Razik Doheim, Ragab Abdel Fattah El Masry and Ayman Mohamed El-Sayed

 

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an incurable metabolic disorder, with a global incidence of about 2.8%. Adverse effects of chemical drugs necessitated searching for medicinal plants as alternative therapies. Medemia argun (MA) is an ancient Egyptian palm, rich in proanthocyani-dins (PACs), which are essential constituent of human diet. It was highly valued in ancient Egypt, although the reason for that necessitates further study.

Thirty male rats were allocated into 5 equal groups. Type I diabetes mellitus (DM Type I) was induced by single intraperitoneal (IP) injection of alloxan (120 mg/kg). Animals were then treated with insulin (30 U/kg, daily) +/- MA seed ethanolic extract (100 mg/kg, orally, once daily). Random blood sugar (RBS) level, liver transaminase activity (ALT and AST), albumin, total bilirubin as well as histopathological examination of liver tissues were investigated in all groups.

MA when given solely by oral gavage, significantly lowered RBS level either alone or with insulin. Similar effects were seen on serum ALT and AST activities, without affecting bilirubin, albumin levels significantly. It also preserved hepatic cords, portal triad structures, sinusoids, Von-Kupffer cells and stroma better than insulin alone.

MA seed ethanolic extract potentially improved insulin outcomes in diabetes and restored liver tissue changes when used alone or combined with insulin.