Achyut Narayan Kesari

Nutritional and Hypoglycemic Effect of Fruit Pulp of Annona squamosa in Normal Healthy and Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rabbits

Thenutritive value of the pulp of the edible fruit of Annona squamosa and its effect on various biochemical parameters has been assessed in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Different doses (2.5, 5.0, 10.0 g/kg b.w.) of fresh fruit pulp of A. squamosa were given to the three groups each of normal healthy and diabetic rabbits orally daily for 1 month. There was a control group of normal as well as diabetic animals which did not receive fruit pulp. Protein efficiency ratio (PER), digestibility coefficient (DC), biological value (BV) and net protein utilization (NPU) were calculated and improvement in the nutritional level was studied by comparing with the control group. Effect of the fruit pulp was also studied on various biochemical parameters, namely fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TCH), HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), total protein (TPR), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), serum glutamate oxaloacetate and pyruvate transaminases (SGOT and SGPT), serumcreatinine (CRTN) and serum bilirubin (BIL). Protein andglucose in urine were also estimated. Total hemoglobin and glycohemoglobin (HbAc) were estimated in blood before and after 1 month of feeding fruit pulp. Fruit pulp increased the net protein utilization by 29.3 in normal healthy rabbits with 10 g/kg b.w. and 34.1 in induced diabetic (induced by alloxan) animals with 5 g/kg b.w. of the fruit pulp feeding when compared with the control group of rabbits (p < 0.001). Feeding fruit pulp with the same amount increased the total hemoglobin content by 21.0% in normal rabbits and 10.8% in diabetic rabbits. Fruit pulp also reduced the total cholesterol level by 45–46% in normal and 32.4% in diabetic animals with increased HDL-cholesterol. Feeding pulp improved the liver function in normal as well as diabetic rabbit as shown by reduction in the serum SGOT, SGPT, ALKP and bilirubin levels. The optimal improvement in nutritive value of normal animals was found with 5.0–10.0 g/kg b.w. of the fruit pulp feeding, while in diabetic animals it was 2.5–5.0 g/kg b.w. In the diabetic animals pulp feeding between 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg b.w. showed improvement in the glucose tolerance. Further, 5 g/kg b.w. of fruit pulp brought down urine sugar, urine protein and glycohemoglobin in diabetic rabbits. Feeding pulp had increased utilization of dietary protein, body weight as well as the ratio of gain in body weight per gram of protein consumed. It had a protective effect on liver and heart as indicated by reduction in the SGOT, SGPT, ALKP and serum bilirubin levels.

In vivo evaluation of anti-oxidant and anti-lipidimic potential of Annona squamosa aqueous extract in Type 2 diabetic models

AIM OF THE STUDY Diabetes is known to involve oxidative stress and changes in lipid metabolism. Many secondary plant metabolites have been shown to possess antioxidant activities, improving the effects of oxidative stress due to diabetes. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of water extract of Annona squamosa leaves on antioxidant enzymes and lipid profile of animal models of type 2, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). MATERIAL AND METHODS The plant material was extracted with boiling water for 2 h. Albino Wistar rats (n=24) were divided into four groups. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection (ip) at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Animals of treated groups were given the dose of 350 mg/kg of the extract. The excised rat tissues were rinsed in ice-cold saline, blotted dry and weighed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The results clearly suggest that the water extract of Annona squamosa leaves possessed antioxidant activity as shown by increased activities of scavenging enzymes, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and decrease in malondialdehyde levels present in various tissues. Administration of the extract also improved the lipid profile of the treated groups indicating thereby that the high levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol associated with diabetes can also be significantly managed with the extract.

Assessment of glycemic potential ofMusa paradisiaca stem juice.

The present study reveals the effect of Musa paradisiaca stem juice on blood glucose level (BGL) of normal & diabetic rats. The dose of 500 mg/kg bodyweight produces a significant rise of 28.3% in blood glucose level after 6h of oral administration in normal rats. Whereas, in sub diabetic rats the same dose produces a rise of 16.4% in blood glucose levels within 1h during glucose tolerance test (GTT) and a rise of 16% after 4 h in fasting blood glucose levels of severe diabetic cases. These results were unexpected and important to report as other species of Musa like Musa sapientum has been reported for its hypoglycemic effect.

Acknowledgement to the 2005 Reviewers

Micksche M., Vienna, Austria Miller T.L., New York, USA Pallauf J., Giessen, Germany Palou A., Palma de Mallorca, Spain Pedersen J., Oslo, Norway Petersson Grawe K., Uppsala, Sweden Prentice A., London, UK Rieder A., Vienna, Austria Roche H.M., Dublin, Ireland Rodriguez-Amaya D.B., Campinos, Brasil Roky R., Casablanca, Morocco Rust P., Vienna, Austria Schweigert F.J., Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany Seidell J.C., Bilthoven, The Netherlands Shirwaikar A., Manipal, India Simopoulos A.P., Washington, USA Svensson J., Göteborg, Sweden Kajantie E., Helsinki, Finland Thorpe S.R., Columbo, USA Trautwein E.A., Vlaardingen, The Netherlands Trichopoulos D., Boston, USA Uauy R., Santiago, Chile Vajreswari A., India von Ruecker A., Bonn, Germany von Schacky C., Munich, Germany Walczyk T., Rüschlikon, Switzerland Walter D., Bergholz-Rehbrücke, Germany Yamamoto H., Kawasaki, Japan Zentek J., Vienna, Austria Zingg J.M., Bern, Switzerland Zunft H.-J., Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany Zwiauer K.F., St. Pölten, Austria Adam O., Munich, Germany Agustoni C., Milano, Italy Araya M., Santiago, Chile Arruda S.F., Asa Norte, Brasil Arthington J.D., Ona, USA Azevedo R.B., Brasil Biesalski K.H., Stuttgart, Germany Bode Ch., Stuttgart, Germany Boeing H., Bergholz-Rehbrücke, Germany Branca F., Copenhagen, Denmark Branger B., France Christophe A.B., Ghent, Belgium Dagnelie P.C., Maastricht, The Netherlands Decsi T., Pécs, Hungary DeRose D.J., USA Dixon J.B., Melbourne, Australia Dobos D., Essen, Germany Eder K., Halle, Germany Fournier P.A., Australia Garcia Monzon C., Madrid, Spain Haas K., Vienna, Austria Huyghebaert A., Ghent, Belgium Isnardy B., Vienna, Austria Kohlenberg-Müller K., Fulda, Germany Koletzko B., Munich, Germany Krejs G., Graz, Austria Ladeji O., Jos, Nigeria Laplace J.P., Paris, France Linseisen J., Heidelberg, Germany Ludvik B., Vienna, Austria Łukaszewicz M., Wrocław, Poland Marktl W., Vienna, Austria Martinez A., Pamplona, Spain