Improved Glucoregulation, Insulin Resistance and Leptin Levels by a Polyherbal Drug in High Fat Diet and Low Dose Streptozotocin Type 2 Diabetes Model

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antidiabetic and lipid lowering potential of a polyherbal formulation of six different Indian medicinal plants. Animals were divided into groups as follows: (a) normal control; (b) high fat diet control; (c) high fat diet + streptozotocin (STZ) control; (d) high fat diet + STZ + polyherbal formulation; and (e) high fat diet + STZ + rosiglitazone. The rats were fed a high fat diet for a period of 2 weeks and then injected streptozotocin (65 mg/kg body weight ip). Intragastric administration of polyherbal formulation (250 and 500 mg/kg body mass) for the next 30 days significantly improved glucose tolerance, and decreased glycemic indices, glycated hemoglobin and lipid levels. Supplementation with polyherbal extract also displayed a renoprotective and hepatoprotective potential by reducing urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels. The hypoglycemic principles of the polyherbal extract increased peripheral glucose utilization by improving succinate dehydrogenase and glycogen synthase levels and reducing glucose-6-phosphatase and glycogen phosphorylase levels. Furthermore, polyherbal extract also restored altered plasma insulin and leptin levels.