Effect of Prosopis ruscifolia on incretin and insulin secretion in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats / Efecto de Prosopis ruscifolia sobre la secreción de incretina e insulina de ratas hiperglicémicas por aloxano

Background: Diabetes mellitus treatment is based on oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin. Medicinal plants constitute an option, and the leaves of Prosopis ruscifolia (Pr) were shown to be effective in reducing glycemia in hyperglycemic animals. Objective: In this paper, we report the effect of P. rusciofolia (Pr) on insulin and incretin secretion in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats. Methodology: The effective dose was selected, and four groups (n=10) of Wistar rats were used. Two groups with normal glycemia received water or Pr (75 mg/Kg, per os, p.o.), and two groups with hyperglycemia induced by alloxan (intraperitoneal, ip), received water or Pr (75 mg/Kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance test, and incretin and insulin levels were measured at the end of the experimental period. Results: The results showed that extract promotes better tolerance to oral glucose overload, in addition to a statistically significant (p<0.001) increase in blood levels of incretin and insulin, compared to the hyperglycemic rats. Conclusion: It is concluded that the ethanolic extract of P. ruscifolialeaves has a hypoglycemic effect in hyperglycemic animals by a mechanism that involves the incretin-insulin system

Antecedentes: la diabetes mellitus es una enfermedad metabólica cuyo tratamiento se basa en el uso de agentes hipoglicemiantes orales o insulina. Una opción al tratamiento son las plantas medicinales y en ese sentido, estudios previos en animales con hojas de Prosopis ruscifolia (Pr) han demostrado efecto hipoglicemiante. Objetivo: en este trabajo se reporta el efecto de P. rusciofolia (Pr) en la secreción de insulina e incretina, en ratas hiperglicémicas por aloxano. Metodología: se emplearon cuatro grupos de ratas Wistar (n=10). Dos grupos con glicemia normal que fueron tratadas con agua Pr (75 mg/Kg, per os, p.o.) y dos grupos con hiperglicemia inducida por la inyección intraperitoneal de aloxano recibieron agua Pr (75 mg/Kg, per os, p.o.) durante dos semanas. Se midieron la tolerancia oral a la glucosa, y los niveles de incretina e insulina al final del periodo de experimentación. Resultados: se encontró que el extracto promueve una mayor tolerancia a la sobrecarga de glucosa, y además un incremento significativo (p<0.001) de los niveles de incretina e insulina en sangre, comparados al grupo de ratas hiperglicémicas. Conclusión: se concluye que e l estracto etanólico de las hojas de P. ruscifolia tienen efecto hipoglicemiante en animales hiperglicémicos por un mecanismo que incluye al sistema incretina-insulina

Acute and Chronic anti-hyperglycemic effect of Prosopis ruscifolia extract in Normoglycemic and Alloxan-Induced Hyperglycemic Rats.

Prosopis ruscifolia, vinal, is used to treat diabetes. This work aims to study the influence of the hydro-alcoholic extract of this plant on alloxan induced diabetic rats. Hydroalcoholic extract from aerial parts of Prosopis ruscifolia Griseb. (Fabaceae) was prepared (Pr) and the safety was assessed to determine the acute toxicity in mice. The hypoglycemic activity of the extract was evaluated in normo- and hyperglycemic rats. Hyperglycemia was induced by intravenous administration of alloxan monohydrate (32 mg/Kg body weight). Rats with blood glucose level higher than 200 mg/dL were used for the experiment. The animals were assigned to different groups and treated with a single dose of solvent (water, p.o.), Pr (100 mg/Kg, p.o.), tolbutamide (100 mg/Kg, p.o.) or insulin (5 IU/kg, i.p.); Pr extract was also administered to normoglycemic rats (100 mg/kg, p.o.). Fasted blood glucose level was measured at times 0, 1, 2, 4 and 24 h after treatment, in the acute test, and at days 0, 14, 21 and 28, in the chronic study. No evidence of acute toxicity in mice was observed. The results show that Pr extract significantly reduces blood glucose level in hyperglycemic rats (p < 0.01) 24 h after administration of a single oral dose of 100 mg/Kg. Treatment with Pr during 28 days showed a reduction in blood glucose level in experimentally hyperglycemic rats. Additionally, rats treated with the extract showed a reduced body weight gain. Prosopis ruscifolia hydroalcoholic extract showed low toxicity. After acute and chronic oral treatment was effective to reduce fasted blood glucose level, and the body weight gain was less after 28 days in the treated group.