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Antidiabetic activity of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders volume 19, pages 343–352 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction

Watermelon is one of the commonly eaten fruit in most homes in Nigeria and has been used in the management of diabetes mellitus traditionally. This study was carried out to explore the antidiabetic potential of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Methods

Watermelon juice was used for the determination of in vitro parameters such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH), nitric oxide and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) as well as phytochemicals such as total phenol, total flavonoids. In vitro, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities were also accessed using standard procedures. Diabetes was induced in the rats by a single intraperitoneal (I.P) injection of freshly prepared alloxan (150 mg/kg body weight). The animals were randomly grouped into five groups of normal control, untreated diabetic control, diabetic rats administered 200 mg/kg body weight of metformin, diabetic rats administered 500 mg/kg body weight of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice and diabetic rats administered 1000 mg/kg body weight of watermelon juice. The rats were sacrificed on the 14th day of the experiment and various in vivo biochemical parameters were also evaluated in the serum and tissue homogenates of diabetic rats.

Results

The watermelon juice exhibits anti-oxidant properties and inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase and α-amylase in a dose-dependent manner. Added to this, the administration of different doses of the watermelon juice significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the fasting blood glucose level, serum lipid profile, glucose-6-phosphatase, lipid peroxidation and anti-inflammatory activities in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in antioxidant enzyme activities, hexokinase activity as well as glucose transporters (GLUT 2 and GLUT 4) levels in diabetic rats administered different doses of Citrullus lanatus.

Conclusion

Taken together, this study demonstrates that watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice exhibits its antidiabetic potential in experimental diabetic animal model via multiple pathways involving modulation of glucose transporters, anti-inflammatory activities as well as antioxidant defense system and inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. This suggests that the watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice may have a useful clinical application in the management of diabetes mellitus and its metabolic complications if developed as adjuvant therapy.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Phytomedicine and Nutraceutical Research Laboratory, College of Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

    Basiru Olaitan Ajiboye, Moturayo Tawakalt Shonibare & Babatunji Emmanuel Oyinloye

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biotechnology and Structural Biology (BSB) Group, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, 3886, South Africa

    Babatunji Emmanuel Oyinloye

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  1. Basiru Olaitan Ajiboye
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  2. Moturayo Tawakalt Shonibare
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  3. Babatunji Emmanuel Oyinloye
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Correspondence to Basiru Olaitan Ajiboye.

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Ajiboye, B.O., Shonibare, M.T. & Oyinloye, B.E. Antidiabetic activity of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. J Diabetes Metab Disord 19, 343–352 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-020-00515-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-020-00515-2

Keywords

  • Glucose transporters
  • Citrullus lanatus
  • α-glucosidase
  • α-amylase
  • Metformin