ABSTRACT
Background: As of 2018, 2.1 billion people nearly 30% of the world’s population are either obese or overweight. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. It is an emerging health problem with major adverse effects on health. It is a risk factor for many chronic diseases but is best known for its role in metabolic syndrome, which can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as cardiovascular diseases. Anti-obesity drugs are available but have many side effects. Voglibose, an antidiabetic drug, is an alpha glucosidase inhibitor which shows promising results in the reduction of body weight with minimal side effects.Methods: Voglibose (7 mg/kg) was administered to rats fed with normal laboratory chows and high fat diet to see its effect on body weight, body mass index, abdominal and thoracic circumference, and lipid profile at the end of 12 weeks.Results: Administration of voglibose significantly reduced food consumption, feed efficiency and increase in body weight induced by high fat diet in rats. Rats fed on normal diet also showed reductions in the same parameters, suggesting its weight lowering effect. Reductions in the anthropometric measurements, hypolipidemic effects and glucose lowering effects were also observed.Conclusions: Voglibose prevented high fat diet-induced obesity and improvement in metabolic profile, which ultimately has systemic effects on body weight in rats. Further studies are needed to see its potential therapeutic use in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and related complications.
ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that has the phenotype of hyperglycemia. According to World Health Organization (WHO) there were 65.1 million diabetics in India in 2013, International Diabetes Federation estimates this to increase to 190 million by 2035. Although a number of drugs are available for treatment of DM, their cost and safety profile are major concern. Medicinal plants are used by clinicians for treatment of diabetes. Gymnema sylvestre (GS) extract has been reported to increase insulin levels in diabetic rats. This study was designed to compare the antihyperglycemic effect of Gymnema sylvestre with metformin.Methods: Diabetes was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats using streptozotocin 45mg/kg. Methanolic extract of Gymnema sylvestre 120mg/kg p.o. prepared using Soxhlet apparatus.Results: GS extract reduced blood glucose levels but not statistically significant. GS extract increased HDL and triglycerides, reduced both serum ALT and AST but no statistical significance seen. Metformin significantly increased serum urea, which was not seen in GS extract group. GS extract showed regenerative changes in pancreas, liver and kidney.Conclusions: The study investigation demonstrates that methanolic extract of GS possesses antihyperglycemic and hypolipidaemic activity and so it can be considered as a promising natural remedy in a prediabetic state and in mild hyperlipidaemia to prevent its progression. Increase in ? cell regeneration activity could be a probable mechanism of action. However, further long term clinical studies are recommended to define its possible role in diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia. Role of GS as a potential hepatoprotective agent also needs further evaluation.