Effects of Combined Therapy of Ethanolic Extract of Trigonella foenum graecum or Gymnema sylvestre on the Hypoglycemic Activity of Metformin in the Regulation of Alloxan Induced Hyperglycemia and Associated Adverse Effects

The present study was designed to explore the combined effects of a conventional antidiabetic drug, metformin (MET) and Gymnema sylvestre (GS) or Trigonella foenum graecum (TFG) extract in alloxan (ALX, 150 mg / kg body weight, IP)-induced swiss albino mice. Other than serum glucose, changes in total serum cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), urea, α-amylase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were examined. In addition alterations in tissue biochemical indices such as lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) were also studied in liver, kidney and heart. A daily administration of MET (50 mg/kg body weight) alone or their combination with the herbal extracts for 15 days showed a significant reduction in glucose, TC, TG, urea, ALP, LPO, LOOH and AOPP with a concomitant increase in SOD, CAT, GSH and GPx. However, when both MET and either of the plant extracts was administered simultaneously the beneficial effects were more pronounced as compared to their individual