Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of Gymnema montanum on red blood cell (RBC) membrane in diabetic rats during lipid peroxidation. Ethanol extract of G. montanum leaves (GLEt) was administered orally to alloxan-induced diabetic rats for 3 weeks, and the effects on blood glucose, insulin, lipid peroxidation markers, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, hydroperoxides in plasma and antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in erythrocytes were studied. Administration of GLEt to diabetic animals at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight lowered elevated blood glucose levels by 24, 35, and 66%, respectively, relative to untreated diabetic rats. In comparison, treatment with the known antidiabetic drug, glibenclamide (600 μg/kg body weight) decreased blood glucose concentrations by 51%. Plasma insulin concentrations were increased in the diabetic rat by 73% with GLEt (200 mg/kg body weight) and 45% with glibenclamide (600 μg/kg body weight). Although a significant decrease in the lipid peroxidation markers was observed in plasma on treatment with GLEt and glibenclamide, the RBC antioxidant levels were increased significantly in diabetic rats. Furthermore, erythrocytes from the GLEt-treated animals were found to be more resistant to H2O2-induced peroxidation than that of untreated diabetic animals. The chemical characterization of the polyphenolics of the extract showed the presence of gallic acid (5.29% w/w), resveratrol (2.2% w/w), and quercetin (16.6% w/w). The results of this study suggest that G. montanum may be useful for the control, management, and prevention of oxidative stress associated with diabetes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Shamaony L, Al-Khazraji SM, Twaiji HA. Hypoglycemic effect of Artemisia herba alba II. Effect of a valuable extract on some blood parameters in diabetic animals. J Ethnopharmacol 1994;43(3):167–71.
Ananthan R, Latha M, Pari L, Ramkumar KM, Baskar C, Narmatha Bai V. Effect of Gymnema montanum on blood glucose, plasma insulin, and carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in alloxan induced diabetic rats. J Med Food 2003a;6:43–9.
Ananthan R, Latha M, Ramkumar KM, Pari L, Baskar C, Narmatha Bai V. Effect of Gymnema montanum leaves on serum and tissue lipids in alloxan diabetic rats. Exp Diabis Res 2003b;4:1–7.
Ananthan R, Latha M, Ramkumar KM, Pari L, Baskar C, Narmatha Bai V. Modulatory effects of Gymnema montanum leaf extract on alloxan induced oxidative stress in Wistar rats. Nutrition 2004;20(3):280–5.
Anderson L, Dinesen B, Jorgensen PN, Poulsen F, Roder MF. Enzyme immunoassay for intact human insulin in serum or plasma. Clin Chem 1993;38:578.
Anjali P, Manoj KM. Some comments on diabetes and herbal therapy. Anc Sci Life 1995;15:27–9.
Bandyopadhyay P. Advances in the understanding of diabetes mellitus. Drug News Prosp 2004;17:477–87.
Baynes JW. Perspectives in diabetes, role of oxidative stress on development of complications in diabetes. Diabetes 1991;40:405–10.
Baynes JW, Thrope SR. Role of oxidative stress in diabetic complications. Diabetes 1999;48:1–4.
Cynamon HA, Isenberg JN, Nguyean CH. Erythrocyte malondialdehyde release in vitro: A functional measure of vitamin E status. Clin Chem Acta 1985;151:169.
Datta K, Sinha S, Chattopadhyay P. Reactive oxygen species in health and disease. Nat Med J India 2000;13(6):304–10.
Du Vigneaud V, Karr WG. Carbohydrate utilization rate of disappearance of D-glucose from the blood. J Biol Chem 1975;66:281–300.
Feillet-Coudray C, Rock E, Coudray C, Grzelkowska K, Azais-Braesco V, Dardevet D, Mazur A. Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in experimental diabetes. Clin Chem Acta 1999;284:31–43.
Grover JK, Yadav S, Vats V. Medicinal plants of India with anti diabetic potential. J Ethnopharmocol 2002;81:81–100.
Halliwell B, Gutteridge JMC. Lipid peroxidation, oxygen radicals, cell damage and antioxidant therapy. Lancet 1984;1:1396–8.
Ho CT. Phenolic compounds in food: an overview. In: Huang MT, Ho CT, Lee CY, editors. Phenolic compounds in food and their effects on health. II. Washington: American Chemical Society; 1992, pp. 2–7.
Hunt JV, Dean RT, Wolff SP. Hydroxyl radical production and autooxidative glycation. Glucose autoxidation as the cause of protein damage in the experimental model of diabetes mellitus and aging. Biochem J 1988;256:205–9.
Jennings PB, Chirico S, Jones AF, Lunec J, Barnett AH. Vitamin C metabolites and microangiopathy in diabetes mellitus. Diab Res 1987;6:151–4.
Jiang ZY, Hunt JV, Wolff0 SP. Ferrous ion oxidation in the presence of xylenol orange for detection of lipid hydroperoxide in low-density lipoprotein. Ann Biochem 1992;202:384.
Kakkar P, Das B, Viswanathan PN. A modified spectrophotometric assay of superoxide dismutase. Ind J Biochem Biophysics 1984;21:130.
Kinsella JE, Frankel E, German B, Kanner J. Possible mechanism for the protective role of antioxidants in wine and plant foods. Food Tech 1993;47:85–9.
Lopez-Velez M, Martinez-Martinez F, Valle-Ribes C. The study of phenolic compounds as natural antioxidants in wine. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2003;43(3):233–44.
Mc Lennan SV, Heffernen S, Wright S. Changes in hepatic glutathione metabolism in diabetes. Diabetes 1991;40:344–8.
Nichans WG, Samuelson D. Formation of malondialdehyde from phospholipid arachidonate during microsomal lipid peroxidation. Eur J Biochem 1968;6:126–30.
Ramkumar KM, Latha M, Venkateswaran S, Pari L, Ananthan R, Narmatha Bai V. Modulatory effect of Gymnema montanum leaf extract on brain antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in diabetic rats. J Med Food 2004;7(3):366–71.
Ramkumar KM, Latha M, Ashokkumar N, Pari L, Ananthan R. Modulation of impaired cholinesterase activity in experimental diabetes: Effect of Gymnema montanum leaf extract. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 2005;16(1):17–34.
Rotruck JT, Pope AL, Ganther HE, Swanson AB. Selenium: Biochemical roles as a component of glutathione peroxidase. Science 1984;179:588–94.
Sabu MC, Kuttan R. Anti diabetic activity of medicinal plants and its relationship with their antioxidant property. J Ethnopharmacol 2002;81:155–60.
Sasaki T, Masty S, Sonae A. Effect of acetic acid concentration on the colour reaction in the O-toluidine boric acid method for blood glucose estimation. Rinshbo. Kagaku 1972;1:346–53.
Selvam R, Anuradha CV. Lipid peroxidation and antiperoxidative enzyme changes in erythrocytes in diabetes mellitus. Ind J Biochem Biophysics. 1988;25:268–72.
Shrikumar S, Athem M, Sukumar M, Ravi TK. A HPTLC method for standardization of Curculigo orchioides rhizomes and its marked formulation using gallic acid as standard. Ind J Pharm Sci 2005;67(6):721–4.
Simic MG, Taylor KA, Ward JF, Sonntag C. Lipid peroxidation and membrane damage of erythrocytes. In: Liss AR, editor. Oxygen radicals in biology and medicine in basic life sciences. New York: Plenum Press, 1989. pp. 49–56.
Sinha KA. Colorimetric assay of catalase. Ann Biochem 1972;47:389.
Strain JJ. Disturbances of micronutrient and antioxidant status in diabetes. Proc Nutl Soc 1991;50:591–604.
Szkudelski T. The mechanism of alloxan and streptozotocin action in β-cells of the rat pancreas. Physiol Res 2001;50:537–46.
Vajravelu E, Bhargavan P. Rare and endemic species re-collected after fifty years or more from South India. An assessment of threatened plants of India. In: Jain SK, Raw RR, editors. Proceedings of the Seminar on Rare and Endemic Species Re-collected After Fifty Years or More From South India; Dehradun. HowRah, BSI, 1983, pp. 14
Acknowledgements
One of the authors, Mr. K. M. Ramkumar, is thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, for awarding a Senior Research Fellowship.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ramkumar, K.M., Rajaguru, P., Latha, M. et al. Effect of Gymnema montanum leaves on red blood cell resistance to oxidative stress in experimental diabetes. Cell Biol Toxicol 24, 233–241 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-007-9032-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-007-9032-z