Discussion
In the present research experiments were designed to evaluate the
antidiabetic potential of aqueous extract of root bark of Berberis
lycium Royle. Antidiabetic effect of B. lycium Royle root bark
was compared with glibenclamide. Diabetes was induced by alloxan in
animals and were treated with B. lycium Royle root bark extract
and AgNPs for 28 days. The plasma glucose level was estimated at 0,
7th, 14th, 21stand 28th day of the research work to assess the
potency of the extract in clearing plasma glucose in mice induced with
diabetes. Upsurge in glucose level was seen in alloxan induced diabetic
mice but after treatment withB. lycium Royle root bark
extract glucose level was normalized. The decline in glucose level after
treatment might be brought by the pancreatic β- cells stimulation to
yield insulin or by prevention of glucose absorption from the intestine
or it may heighten the glucose uptake in peripheral tissues (Gayathri
and Kannabiran, 2009).
Reduction in body mass was seen in alloxanized mice. Severe loss in body
weight is due to loss or degradation of structural proteins (Rajkumar
and Govindarajulu, 1991). The B. lycium Royle root bark extract
prevented the loss in body mass in alloxan induced diabetic mice and
from this it is evident that the B. lycium root bark extract
possess a significant beneficial effect on body mass. This may be due to
the protein sparing effect of B. lycium Royle which avert protein
ruin that upshots in improvement of body mass. Insulin paucity in
diabetes makes the cells famish for glucose, so the cells use proteins
as a substitute energy source which eventually fallouts in body mass
reduction. Copious studies have shown a link between hyperglycemia and
dwindled body mass of diabetic animals. It was observed that alloxan
induced diabetes is associated with the reduction in the body mass of
animals (Sharma, 2009).
Hyperlipidemia like secondary hitches are linked to diabetes mellitus.
It is pigeon-holed by escalation in serum total cholesterol,
triglycerides, LDL and VLDL. Potential of the B. lycium Royle
root bark extract to lower the diabetic impediments by gaging the lipid
profile was evaluated. Upsurge in total plasma cholesterol,
triglycerides, LDL-C and VLDL-C and decline in HDL-C was seen in alloxan
induced diabetic mice. Mice of therapeutic groups treated with extract
have shown significant reduction in above serum parameters except HDL-C
which was increased after treatment.
The relationship between hepatic ailment and diabetes mellitus is well
known. In recent times, new understandings of this link came from the
recognition that diabetes itself may be a motive of hepatic ailment.
Hepatic damage leads to its faulty function and it is characterized by
the augmented concentrations of hepatic enzymes ASAT and ALAT in the
blood. Measurement of ASAT, ALAT and ALP have clinical and toxicological
prominence as fluctuations in their activities are symptomatic of tissue
damage (Somnath et al., 2001). An augmentation in ASAT activity is due
to hepatocellular damage followed by cardiac tissue damage and is
usually accompanied by a rise in ALAT activity (Rao et al., 1989). When
cell membranes get impaired, the enzymes ASAT and ALAT, located in the
cytosol, leak into the blood stream thus causing damage to hepatic
tissues (Shyamala et al., 2003). It is signposted that B. lyciumRoyle comprehends various bioactive compounds that preserve the
integrity of hepatic cells which preclude the leakage of ASAT and ALATin
serum. In current study level of these enzymes increased in alloxanized
mice but these hepatic markers were sustained in their normal range in
diabetic treated mice.
Serum catalase is a major factor of hepatic antioxidants and catalyzes
the reduction of H2O2 and shields the
tissue from highly reactive OH•. Reduction in serum catalase activity
might be the result from inactivation by
O2•- and glycation of the enzyme
(Rajasekaran et al., 2005). In current study catalase and SOD
level decreased significantly in diabetic mice and these changes were
reversed in B. lycium Royle root bark extract treated mice. LPO
level was increased in diabetic mice which was not significantly
normalized by B. lycium Royle root bark extract. LPO upsurge is a
significant findings in diabetes mellitus which is a marker of raised
oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus (Sen et al ., 2005).
Intensification in urea, uric acid and creatinine levels are markers of
renal dysfunction in the diabetic groups (Alarcon-Aguilara et
al ., 1998). In present study upsurge in these markers were seen in
diabetic group. Upon treatment with aqueous extract of B. lyciumRoyle the renal markers were significantly declined, this explains the
shielding effect afforded by aqueous extract of B. lycium Royle
on kidneys in diabetes. Protein level in alloxanized mice was decreased,
this effect was reversed on treatment. Discount of protein level is an
indicator of diabetic condition (Surana et al. , 2008). Declined
serum protein level in alloxanized mice is supposed to be due to
improved protein catabolism and gluconeogenesis in diabetes (Palanivelet al. , 2001). This implies that B. lycium Royle enhance
glucose utilization and prevent protein degradation that normalized the
altered protein level in B. lycium Royle treated groups.
Alloxan induced diabetic mice exhibited a substantial spread in total
WBCs count. This upsurge in total WBCs count may be due to the improved
hemopoitic activity as a result of the hemolysis of RBCs in diabetic
mice. In diabetic mice group number of lymphocytes were dropped. This
might be as a retort to stressful situation after alloxan injection,
these results are in agreement with previous study (Palanivel et
al. , 2001) or it may be due to the production of antibodies against
different antigens, since lymphocytes are accountable for attaining the
defense mechanism in the body (El Feki et al ., 1997). The rise in
number of neutrophils may be due the participation of these cells in the
phagocytosis against diverse antigens. The upsurge in neutrophils also
may be due to drop in its phagocytic action in hyperglycemia and due to
upsurge in hemopoitic activity after releasing the granules of
neutrophil by exocytosis to lyses the antigens extra-cellularly (Ganong,
2003). B. lycium Royle root bark extract showed an improvement in
percentage of lymphocytes when compared to diabetic group. In treated
mice groups WBCs count, neutrophils percentage and lymphocytes turned
back to normal value. This indicates that phyto-treatment affects the
defense mechanism to impede the inflammation resultant of alloxan
treatment. This is in line with previous studies (Kollar & Roan, 1980;
Shakoori et al ., 1992). Proteins glycation prompted by diabetic
hyperglycemia can have modificational impacts on membrane proteins of
RBCs and hemoglobulin (Hb) (Koga et al ., 1980). Haemoglobin (Hb)
values in diabetic mice displayed substantial decline in agreement with
prior hematological studies reporting anemia as a pathophysiological
problem of diabetes mellitus (Akindele et al ., 2012). This
discount is possibly because of blood osmoregulation flaw and abnormal
synthesis of Hb (Akindele et al ., 2012). Platelets count were
also measured, substantial variations in diabetic mice was perceived as
compared to control group which was normalized after treatment withB. lycium Royle extract. No significant variation was seen in
other hematological parameters. Histopathological studies showed damage
in pancreas, liver and kidney in diabetic group and effect was reversed
in B. lycium Royle extract treated groups (figure 9 a, b,c).