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Antihyperglycemic and Antioxidant Activity of Fructus hordei Germinatus Extract on Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats
Wei, Hua; Liang, Xing-huan; Wu, Biao-liang; Zhang, Jie; Qin, Ying-fen; Luo, Gui-qing & Luo, Zuo-jie
Abstract
Purpose: To explore the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of Fructus hordei Germinatus
extract (FHGE) in diabetic rats.
Methods: The aqueous extract of FHG was obtained by steeping the dried Fructus Hordei Germinatus
in water at 60 °C three times, each for 1 h before first drying in an oven and then freeze-drying the last
extract thus obtained. Antihyperglycemic effect was measured by blood glucose and plasma insulin
levels. Oxidative stress was evaluated in liver and kidney by antioxidant markers, viz, lipid peroxidation
(LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and
catalase (CAT), while blood serum levels of creatinine and urea were also determined in both diabetic
control and treated rats.
Results: Compared with diabetic rats, oral administration of FHGE at a concentration of 20, 40 and 80
mg/kg daily for 45 days showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose (p < 0.05) and
increased insulin (p < 0.05) level,. Furthermore, it significantly reduced biochemical parameters (serum
creatinine and serum urea, p < 0.05)). The treatment also resulted in significant increase in GSH, GPx
(p < 0.05), SOD and CAT (p < 0.05), as well as decreased LPO (p < 0.05) level in the liver and kidney of
diabetic rats.
Conclusion: The results suggest that FHGE may effectively normalize the impaired antioxidant status
in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in a dose-dependent manner. FHGE has a protective effect against
lipid peroxidation by scavenging free radicals and is thus capable of reducing the risk of diabetic
complications.
Keywords
Fructus hordei Germinatus; Diabetic; Antihyperglycemic; Lipid peroxidation; Antioxidant; Fasting blood glucose; Creatinine; Urea
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