Antidiabetic, Antilipidemic and Antioxidant Nature of Tridax procumbens Studied in Alloxan-Induced Experimental Diabetes in Rats:A Biochemical

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder associated with derangements in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. Tridax procumbens is employed as an indigenous medicine for a variety of ailments. The present study was aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of Tridax procumbens leaf extract in alloxaninduced experimental diabetic rats. The effect of oral administration of Tridax procumbens leaves extract (400 mg/kg b.w.) on the levels of blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, plasma insulin, urea, uric acid, creatinine, protein, lipid peroxides, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, lipid profile were determined in control and experimental groups of rats. The altered levels of blood glucose, hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, plasma insulin, urea, uric acid, creatinine and protein in the diabetic rats were significantly reverted back to near basal values by the administration of ethanol extract of Tridax procumbens leaves extract to diabetic rats for 30 days. The levels of lipid peroxides in the plasma and pancreatic tissues of diabetic rats were elevated significantly and were normalized by the administration of Tridax procumbens leaves extract. The activities of pancreatic enzymic antioxidants and the levels of plasma non-enzymic antioxidants were markedly declined in the diabetic rats. Upon treatment with Tridax procumbens leaves extract to diabetic rats, these decreased levels were elevated to near normal values. The altered levels of lipid profile were reverted back to near normalcy upon the extract treatment. The results of the study indicate that Tridax procumbens leaves extract possesses antilipidemic, antioxidant effects in addition to antidiabetic activity. The results are comparable with glyclazide, an oral standard hypoglycemic drug. The phytochemicals present in the Tridax procumbens leaves extract may account for the observed pharmacological properties.