Antidiabetic Activity of Trigonella Foenum- Graecum L. Seeds Extract (ind01) in Neonatal Streptozotocin-induced (n-stz) Rats

The objective of the present investigation was to study antidiabetic activity of standardized extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds (IND01) using neonatal streptozotocin-induced rat (n-STZ) model of diabetes mellitus (DM) in rats for the first time. Streptozotocin (STZ) was injected (50 mg/kg i.p.) in pups of rats in a split dose manner (on 2nd and 3rd postnatal days). After 8 weeks, DM was confirmed by checking for 4 h fasting serum glucose (SG) levels. Effects of IND01 (100 mg/kg, oral) and standard drug, glyburide (10 mg/kg, oral) were evaluated on acute and subacute (28 days) administration in separate sets of n-STZ rats. Body weights were recorded every day. The levels of SG were recorded at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h in acute study and on day 7, 14, 21 and 28 in subacute study. Levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum insulin were measured on day 28 in subacute study. The treatment of n-STZ in pups produced significant and progressive rise in SG levels, body weights and HBA1c during the study period of 28 days. Decrease in serum insulin levels and mean number of pancreatic islet β-cells (histology study) was also found in n-STZ control rats. IND01 (100 mg/kg, oral) and glyburide (10 mg/kg, oral) treatment showed significant reversal of n-STZ-induced changes (rise in SG, decline in body weight and rise in HBA1c). Histology sections of pancreas from the rats treated with IND01 (but not glyburide) showed increase in number and size of pancreatic islet β-cells. IND01 showed a potential to ameliorate symptoms of DM during progressive deterioration and improved glycemic functions in n-STZ induced diabetic rats.