Anti-hyperglycemic effect and subchronic toxicity of the combined extract from Sattagavata - Mathurameha - Tubpikarn anti-diabetic herbal formulae

Abstract

© 2018, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University. All rights reserved. Background: The three herbal formulae (Sattagavata, Mathurameha, and Tubpikarn) were prescribed to diabetic patients for a long time, and they included Sattagavata for circulatory system promotion, Mathurameha for diabetics and Tubpikarn for hepatoprotection with less scientific support about the effectiveness and toxicity. The in vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity and subchronic toxicity of the combined extract from three anti-diabetic Thai herbal formulae in diabetic rats were performed to prove the anti-diabetic effects and find out the subchronic toxicity of these herbal anti-diabetic formulae on kidney and liver in experimental animals. The antioxidant activity and phytochemical studies were also screened. Methods: Type II diabetes was induced in male rats with streptozotocin and nicotinamide. These three anti-diabetic Thai herbal formulae were separately extracted and combined at the ratio of 1:1:1. The combined extract was fed to the diabetic rats at the daily doses of 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg for 30 days. The anti-diabetic drug (glibenclamide) at a dose of 5 mg/kg was given as a positive control group. Results: It was found that the 2-hour post-prandial plasma glucose (2 h PPG) levels of 1 g/kg fed the group and the glibenclamide-fed group were decreased compared with control group (P < 0.025) on day 15thafter feeding. In addition, the 2 h PPG levels and HbA1Cvalues of both treated groups and glibenclamide-fed group were significantly lower than those of control group (P < 0.01) on day 30thafter feeding. Blood examination at day 30threvealed no difference between the control diabetic group and treated groups. The unchanged parameters included blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, albumin, bilirubin, and cholesterol levels. The liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase, in the control, 1 g/kg extract-fed group and glibenclamide-fed group were not different. However, the blood AST level was increased in the 0.5 g/kg extract-fed group. From the blood study, it did not show the obvious renal and liver toxicity in an animal model after 30 days extract feeding. Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of rutin in Sattagavata formula and chlorogenic acid in Tubpikarn formula which supported the antioxidant effect of these herbal medicines. Conclusion: This study indicated that this these combined Thai anti-diabetic herbal formulae had the anti-hyperglycemic action in Type II diabetic animal model and also had the antioxidant action in vitro. No obvious renal and liver toxicity were found after feeding for 30 days.