Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anti-diabetic Effect of Boerhavia diffusa L. Root Extract via Free Radical Scavenging and Antioxidant Mechanism

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The present study was proposed to assess the in vitro free radical-scavenging activity of B. diffusa methanolic extract (BDME) and its modulatory effect against streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in male Wistar rats.

Methods

Experimental diabetes was induced in Wistar albino rats by administering single dose of STZ 40 mg/kg. One week later rats with blood glucose level >200 mg/dL were segregated as diabetes in three groups each containing 6 rats in number.

Results

Total phenolic content in B. diffusa methanol extract (BDME) was found to be 87 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g extract and total flavonoid content found to be 54.1 mg of quercetin equivalents/g extract. Its extract also exhibited DPPH (IC50, 163.1±6.7 μg/mL), nitric oxide (295 μg/mL) and H2O2 (159±5.25 μg/mL) radical scavenging activity. Pre-treatment with BDME (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w.) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats resulted in significant improvement in blood glucose, blood plasma enzymes SGOT, SGPT and ALP, weight loss, total protein, serum insulin and liver glycogen levels. Furthermore, it restores the activity of antioxidant enzymes viz. SOD, CAT and GPx.

Conclusion

Thus, the result suggests that BDME employed significant anti-diabetic effect in Wistar rats which is associated with its free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Umar, A., Ahmed, Q. U., Muhammad, B. Y., Dogarai, B. B. & Soad, S. Z. Anti-hyperglycemic activity of the leaves of Tetracera scandens Linn. Merr. (Dille-niaceae) in alloxan induced diabetic rats. J. Ethnopharmacol. 1, 140–145 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wild, S. G., Roglic, A., Green, R., Sicree, R. & King, H. Global prevalence of diabetes: estimated for the year 2000 and projection for 2030. Diabetes Care 5, 1047–1053 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dewanjee, S., Das, A. K., Sahu, R. & Gangopadhyay, M. Antidiabetic activity of Diospyros peregrine fruit: effect on hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and augmented oxidative stress in experimental type 2 diabetes. Food Chem. Toxicol. 47, 2679–2685 (2009).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ivorra, M. D., Paya, M. & Villar, A. A review of natural products and plants as potent antidiabetic drugs. J. Ethnopharmacol. 27, 243–276 (1989).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rendel, A. B. in The Classification of Flowering Plants. Dicotyledons, vol. 2 (Cambridge University Press, UK, 1925).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Mitra, R. & Gupta, R. C. Punarnava -an Ayurvedic drug of repute. Applied Botany Abstracts, vol. 17(3). Economic Botany Information Service, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Olukoya, D. K., Tdika, N. & Odugbemi, T. Antibacterial activity of some medicinal plants from Nigeria. J. Ethnopharmacol. 39, 69–72 (1993).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Adesina, S. K. Anticonvulsant properties of the root bark of Boerhavia diffusa. J. Crude Drug Res. 17, 84–86 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Bhalla, T. N., Gupta, M. B., Sheth, P. K. & Bhargava, K. P. Anti-inflammatory activity of Boerhaavia diffusa. Indian. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 12, 37 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Vijayalakshmi, K., Misra, S. D. & Prasad, S. K. Nematicidal properties of some indigenous plant materials against second stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood. Indian J. Entomol. 41, 326–331 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bharali, R., Azad, M. R. H. & Tabassum, J. Chemopreventive action of Boerhaavia diffusa on DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis in mice. Indian J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 47, 459–464 (2003).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Chandan, B. K., Sharma, A. K. & Anand, K. K. Boerhaavia diffusa: a study of its hepatoprotective activities. J. Ethnopharmacol. 31, 299–307 (1991).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rawat, A. K. S. & Mehrotra, S., Tripathi, S. C. & Shome, U. Hepatoprotective activity of Boerhaavia diffusa L. roots -a popular Indian ethnomedicine. J. Ethnopharmacol. 56, 61–66 (1997).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Surange, S. R. & Pendse, G. S. Pharmacognostic study of roots of Boerhaavia diffusa Wild. punarnava). (J. Res. Indian Med. 7, 1 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jain, G. K. & Khanna, N. M. Punarnavoside: a new antifibrinolytic agent from Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Indian J. Chem. 28, 163–166 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lami, N., Kadota, S. & Kikuchi, T. Constituents of the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. IV. Isolation and structure determination of boeravinones D, E and F. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 39, 1863–1865 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lami, N., Kadota, S., Tezuka, Y. & Kikuchi, T. Constituents of the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. II. Structure and stereochemistry of a new rotenoid boeravinone C2. Chem. Pharm. J. 38, 1558–1562 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ferreres, F. et al. Characterization of the phenolic profile of Boerhaavia diffusa L. by HPLC-PAD-MS/MS as a tool for quality control. Phytochem. Anal. 16, 451–458 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pari, L. & Amarnath, S. M. Antidiabetic effect of Boerhavia diffusa: effect on serum and tissue lipids in experimental diabetes. J. Med. Food 7, 472–476 (2004).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Gholap, S. & Kar, A. Hypoglycaemic effects of some plant extracts are possibly mediated through inhibition in corticosteroid concentration. Pharmazie 59, 876–878 (2004).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Satheesh, M. A. & Pari, L. Antioxidant effect of Boerhavia diffusa L. in tissues of alloxan induced diabetic rats. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 42, 989–92 (2004).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Pereira, D. M., Faria, J., Gaspar, L., Valentão, P. & Andrade, P. B. Boerhaavia diffusa: metabolite profiling of a medicinal plant from Nyctaginaceae. Food Chem. Toxicol. 47, 2142–2149 (2009).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Nabavi, S. M., Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Nabavi, S. F., Fazelian, M. & Eslami, B. In vitro antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of Diospyros lotus and Pyrus boissieriana growing in Iran. Pharmacogn. Mag. 4, 123–127 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Pourmorad, F. & Hafezi, S. Antioxidant activities of Iranian corn silk. Turk. J. Biol. 32, 43–49 (2008).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Dehpour, A. A., Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Nabavi S. F. & Nabavi, S. M. Antioxidant activity of methanol extract of Ferula assafoetida and its essential oil composition. Grasas Aceites 60, 405–412 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Ehsanifar, S. & Eslami, B. Sambucus ebulus elburensis fruits: A good source for antioxidants. Pharmacogn. Mag. 4, 213–218 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Nabavi, S. M., Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Nabavi, S. F. & Jafari, M. Free radical scavenging activity and antioxidant capacity of Eryngium caucasicum Trautv and Froripia subpinnata. Pharmacology online 3, 19–25 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Nabavi, S. M., Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Nabavi, S. F., Hamidinia, A. & Bekhradnia, A. R. Determination of antioxidant activity, phenol and flavonoids content of Parrotia persica Mey. Pharmacology online 2, 560–567 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Punitha, R. & Manohara, S. Anti hyperglycemic and anti lipid peroxidative effects of Pongamia pinnata (Linn.) Pierre flowers in alloxan induced diabetic rats. J. Ethnopharmacol. 105, 39–46 (2006).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Salahuddin, M. & Jalalpure, S. S. Antidiabetic activity of aqueous fruit extracts of Cucumis trigonus Roxb. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J. Ethnopharmacol. 127, 565–567 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Tuvemo, T., Ewald, U., Kobboh, M. & Proos, L. A. Serum magnesium and protein concentrations during the first five years of insulin dependent diabetes in children. Acta Paediatr. Suppl. 418, 7–10 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Almadal, T. P. & Vilstrup, H. Strict insulin treatment normalizes the organic nitrogen contents and the capacity of urea-N synthesis in experimental diabetes in rats. Diabetologica 31, 114–118 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Chandramohan, G., Ignacimuthu, S. & Pugalendi, K. V. A novel compound from Casearia esculenta (Roxb.) root and its effect on carbohydrate metabolism in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 590, 437–443 (2008).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Kasetti, R. B. et al. Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities of methanol: water (4:1) fraction isolated from aqueous extract of Syzgium alternifolium seeds in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Food Chem. Toxicol. 48, 1078–1084 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kennedy, A. L. & Lyons, T. J. Glycation, oxidation and lipoxidation in the development of diabetic complications. Metabolism 46, 14–21 (1997).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Nabavi, S. M., Nabavi, S. F. & Eslami, B., Antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of Pyrus boissieriana fruit. Pharmacology online 1, 1318–1323 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Kusirisin, W., Jaikang, C., Chaiyasut, C. & Narongchai, P. Effect of polyphenolic compounds from Solanum torvum on plasma lipid peroxidation, superoxide anion and cytochrome P450 2E1 in human liver microsomes. J. Med. Chem. 5, 583–588 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Pourmorad, F. & Bekhradnia, A. R. Iron chelating activity screening, phenol and flavonoid content of some medicinal plants from Iran. Afr. J. Biotechnol. 32, 43–49 (2008).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Ebrahimzadeh, M. A. & Bahramian, F. Antioxidant activity of Crataegus pentagina subsp.elbursis fruits extracts used in traditional medicine in Iran. Pak. J. Biol. Sci. 12, 413–419 (2009).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Oliveira, H. C. et al. Antidiabetic activity of Vatairea macrocarpa extract in rats. J. Ethnopharmacol. 115, 515–519 (2008).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Shirwaikar, A. & Rajendran, K. Effect of aqueous bark extract of Garuga pinnata Roxb. In streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type-II diabetes mellitus. J. Ethnopharmacol. 112, 1–6 (2006).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Carroll, N. V., Longley, R. W. & Roe, J. H. The determination of glycogen in liver and muscle by use of anthrone reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 220, 583–593 (1956).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Reitman, S. & Frankel, S. A. Colorimetric method for the determination of serum glutamic oxaloacetic and glutamic pyruvic transaminases. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 28, 56–63 (1957).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Kind, P. R. N. & King, E. J. Estimation of plasma phosphatases by determination of hydrolyzed phenol with amino-antipyrine. J. Clin. Pathol. 7, 322–330 (1954).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Lowry, O. H., Rosenbrough, N. J. & Farr, A. L. Protein measurement with Folin-phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Wybenga, D. R., Di Giorgio, J. & Pileggi, V. J. Manual and automated methods for urea nitrogen measurement in whole serum. Clin. Chem. 17, 891–895 (1971).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Rotruck, J. T., Pope, A. L., Ganther, H. E. & Swason, A. B. Selenium: biochemical role as a component of glutathione peroxidase. Science 179, 588–590 (1973).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Kakkar, P., Dos, B. & Viswanathan, P. N. A modified spectrophotometric assay of superoxide dismutase. Indian J. Biochem. Biophys. 21, 130–132 (1984).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Sinha, K. A. Colorimetric assay of catalase. Anal. Biochem. 47, 389–394 (1972).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Mihara, M. & Uchiyama, M. Determination of malonaldehyde precursor in tissues by thiobarbituric acid test. Anal. Biochem. 86, 271–278 (1978).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Perwez Alam & Nasir A. Siddiqui

  2. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    Naiyer Shahzad, Amal M. Mahfoz, Ghazi A. Bamagous & Saeed S. Al-Ghamdi

  3. Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, SBS College of Pharmacy, Chuslewal Morh Patti, Punjab, India

    Arvind K. Gupta

Authors
  1. Perwez Alam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Naiyer Shahzad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Arvind K. Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Amal M. Mahfoz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ghazi A. Bamagous
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Saeed S. Al-Ghamdi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Nasir A. Siddiqui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Naiyer Shahzad.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Alam, P., Shahzad, N., Gupta, A.K. et al. Anti-diabetic Effect of Boerhavia diffusa L. Root Extract via Free Radical Scavenging and Antioxidant Mechanism. Toxicol. Environ. Health Sci. 10, 220–227 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-018-0367-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-018-0367-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation