Litsea polyantha Extracts Ameliorate Diabetes and Oxidative Stress in Streptozocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Objectives: Litsea polyantha (LP) is a traditional medicinal plant in India. As the bark is mildly astringent, it is traditionally used to treat diarrhoea. Powdered bark and roots are used for pain, bruises, contusions, and fractures in animals. Litsea polyantha was evaluated for its blood glucose lowering abilities as well as for its ability to curb oxidative stress. Methods: In Wistar rats, diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of Streptozocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg, b.w) for four weeks. After clipping the rats' tails, blood glucose levels were determined. Body weight and urine volume were also measured. In addition, oxidative stress markers such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) were measured. Biochemical estimations were further strengthened by histological evaluation. The statistical analysis of results was carried out using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey's post hoc with GraphPad Prism software package. Results: Compared to untreated diabetic rats, LP extracts significantly decreased blood glucose levels in diabetic rats for 4 weeks. As evidenced by the glucose levels and biochemical markers, diabetes has significantly improved. LP treated diabetic rats had significantly higher levels of antioxidant defence enzymes and lower levels of TBARS. STZ-induced elevation of glucose levels in diabetic rats was prevented by LP. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that LP had antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that might contribute to its therapeutic effects on diabetic rats.