RESUMEN
Diabetes mellitus interferes with the metabolism of carbohydrates, causing chronic hyperglycemia. Dyslipidemiain diabetes is a condition that leads to cardiovascular disease. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of hydroalcoholic Prosopis ruscifolia (Pr) leaves extract on hyperglycemia and lipid profile in normo- and hyperglycemicmice. Mice hyperglycemia was induced by alloxan, animals were treated with Pr (50, 100, 200 mg/kg, p.o., 28 days).Fasted blood glucose level on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 was determined. Blood glucose remained within the normalrange in the groups of normoglycemic animals treated with Pr. In the hyperglycemic animals, 100 mg/kg of Pr extractreduced the glycemia, this effect became markedly evident since day 7, until the end of experimental period (p <0.0001), the total reduction reached was 60%. The lipid profile of normal and hyperglycemic mice was evaluated with100 mg/kg, on day 28. A non-significant increase in total cholesterol and low density cholesterol, in hyperglycemicanimals treated with vehicle, and a statistically significant increase (p < 0.0001) in the level of triglyceride and verylow density cholesterol (VLDL) level (p < 0.0001) in normoglycemic animals treated with Pr, compared to the controlgroup were denoted. This could indicate that Pr has a stimulating action on insulin secretion, since hyperinsulinemiais also associated with an increase in the quantity of atherogenic particles of VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides.The coronary risk index and the atherogenic index of hyperglycemic animals treated with Pr showed a reductioncompared with the untreated hyperglycemic ones. The presence of three piperidine alkaloids, juliprosopine, 3’’’’–Oxo-juliprosopine, and julifloridine, previously isolated from P. juliflora, was confirmed. Also, the presence of theflavonoid quercetin was detected in this plant. Those compounds are strong candidates presumably responsible forimparting the effect on glycemia and lipid profile reported here.