Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, and Hypolipidemic Potential of Sonchus asper Hill

Context • The recently growing occurrence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the world is of immense concern. Sonchus asper Hill (SA) is traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes and urinary disorders in Pakistan. Objective • The present study intended to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of a Sonchus asper methanol extract (SAME) in rats. Design • Thirty male, Sprague-Dawley rats, from 180 to 190 g each, were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each and received the following treatments: (1) group 1 (untreated control group) administered distilled water only; (2) group 2 administered 200 mg/kg of SAME only; (3) group 3 (diabetic control group) administered 55 mg/kg body weight (BW) of streptozotocin (STZ) in distilled water to induce diabetes; (4) group 4 administered 55 mg/kg BW of STZ in distilled water to induce diabetes and given 100 mg/kg of SAME; and (5) group 5 administered 55 mg/kg BW of STZ to induce diabetes and administered 200 mg/kg of SAME. Setting • The study was conducted in the Department of Biotechnology Bannu (Bannu, Pakistan). Outcome Measures • The research team performed (1) a serum analysis for glucose, lipase, and insulin; (2) a measurement of the protein concentration of the supernatant from pancreatic tissue; (3) an assay of catalase activity; (4) an assay of superoxide activity; (5) an assessment of lipid peroxidation enzymes; (6) an assay of glutathione-S-transferase activity; (7) an assay of glutathione reductase activity; (8) an assay of glutathione-peroxidase activity; and (9) an assay of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) activity. Results • The administration of STZ caused significant alterations in the blood glucose levels, the lipase activity, insulin secretions, cholesterol profiles, serum marker enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, and contents of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the rats (P < .01). On oral administration, the SAME showed statistically significant effects by improving the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, TBARS contents, and cholesterol profile of the diabetic rats (P < .01). In treatment, the glucose and insulin levels of the SAME rats were significantly lower than the diabetic rats on day 21 (P < .01). Conclusions • The findings suggest that the significant antidiabetic potential of the SAME in ameliorating the diabetic conditions in diabetic rats might be due to the presence of the bioactive constituents in the extract.