Diabetes mellitus: Preventive and curative therapies with aqueous extract of Rytigynia senegalensis Blume (Rubiaceae) in Wistar rats

BACKGROUND AND AIM: African traditional healers use Rytigynia senegalensis Blume to treat diseases such as diabetes mellitus, malaria, dysentery, constipation, and hemorrhoids. This study aimed to assess the hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, and antioxidant properties of R. senegalensis extract (AERS) in type 1 diabetic (T1D) and insulin-resistant (T2D) rats. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: The induction of T1D was made by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg b.w). As for T2D, it was induced for 10 days by daily subcutaneous administration of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg b.w). Diabetic animals were divided and treated with AERS (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg b.w) for 28 and 10 days for T1D and T2D, respectively. Glycaemia, food and water consumption, relative body weight, insulinemia, lipid profile, and oxidative stress parameters were evaluated. Histological sections were made on the pancreas of T1D rats. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: AERS (100 and/or 200 mg/kg) prevented (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) weight loss, polyphagia, and polysipsia in diabetic rats. AERS significantly lowered (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) insulinemia, hyperglycemia, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) total cholesterol (TC),and malondialdehyde (MDA). In contrast, a significant increase (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels, reduced glutathione levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were observed with all doses of AERS. Histopathological analysis showed an increase in the number and size of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas of T1D rats receiving AERS. AERS has an important antidiabetic, antidyslipidemic, and antioxidant potential.