Potential Antioxidant Activities of Spondias Pinnata (family: Anacardiaceae) Bark Extract in Rats with Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes Mellitus

The present study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of aqueous bark extract of Spondias pinnata (Linn. f.) Kurz (Family: Anacardiaceae) in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the activities of liver enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, and extent of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the liver of streptozotocin (STZ) -diabetic rats. S. pinnata extract decreased the LPO by 17%, activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase decreased by 20%, 17% and 36% respectively (P < 0.05). The liver reduced glutathione, activities of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S‐transferase of plant extract treated diabetic rats were increased by 43%, 44%, 69% and 52% respectively (P < 0.05). The light microscopic appearance of the liver tissue in S. pinnata treated rats was corroborated the biochemical results. The present investigation revealed that the bark extract of S. pinnata exerts significant in vivo antioxidant activities in diabetic rats. INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is a complex heterogeneous disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. The pathogenesis involves the development of insulin resistance accompanied by defective insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells resulting in hyperglycaemia 1 . It has been proved experimentally and clinically that the oxidative stress is involved in the development and progression of diabetes mellitus 2 . This is due to the deleterious invasion of free radicals or impaired antioxidant defense mechanisms 3 . QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.IJP.2(4).166-172 Article can be accessed online on: www.ijpjournal.com DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.IJP.2(4).166-172 Increased lipid peroxidation and insulin resistance are linked with abnormal production of free radicals and the simultaneous decline of antioxidant defense mechanisms 4 . Current treatments provide a satisfactory glycaemic control however, do little in preventing complications associated with diabetes mellitus. Besides, most of the prescribed hypoglycaemic drugs and insulin are associated with side effects, there is an increasing demand for natural products for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications 5 . There is an increasingly powerful case for revisiting natural products for drug discovery. Historically, natural products from plants and animals were the source of virtually all medicinal preparations and more recently, natural products have continued to provide leads for compounds that have effective against different chronic