Modulatory effect of Calendula officinalis on altered antioxidant status and renal parameters in diabetic rats

Calendula officinalis (Family Compositae) flowers are recognized as safe substance for food use by Food and Drug Administration. Present study was aimed to determine the modulatory effect of floral extracts of C. officinalis administrations on mean blood glucose (MBG), per cent glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile [(total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low and high density lipoproteins (LDL, HDL)], antioxidant and renal parameters in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Increased (P < 0.05) levels of MBG and HbA1c fraction indicate the induction of diabetes in rats. Enhanced (P < 0.05) TC, TG, LDL, total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and renal indices were observed in blood of diabetic rats. However, levels of HDL, protein profile, total antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione (GSH), total thiols (TTH) and activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) were significantly reduced in diabetic rats. Repeated administrations of ethanolic floral extract of C. officinalis reduced the enhanced levels of MBG, HbA1c and TC while restored OSI, TTH, GSH, CAT, SOD, GST and MDA levels; it also increased activities of G6PDH and GPx in diabetic rats compared to untreated diabetic rats. Hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, restored antioxidant level, and reduced altered renal functions by the floral extract of C. officinalis in diabetic rats. Further, the modulatory effect was better in aqueous as compared to ethanolic floral extract of C. officinalis.