Moringa oleifera leaf extract ameliorates alloxan-induced diabetes in rats by regeneration of β cells and reduction of pyruvate carboxylase expression

• Published in: Biochemistry and cell biology Vol. 92; no. 5; pp. 413 - 419
• Main Authors: Abd El Latif, Amira, El Bialy, Badr El Said, Mahboub, Hamada Dahi, Abd Eldaim, Mabrouk Attia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada NRC Research Press 01.10.2014
• Subjects: Alloxan; Animals; Blood Glucose - analysis; Cholesterol - blood; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - pathology; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - physiopathology; diabète; Female; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Gluconeogenesis; Glucose - metabolism; Health aspects; Hepatocytes - pathology; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Insulin-Secreting Cells - pathology; Insulin-Secreting Cells - physiology; Liver - pathology; Malondialdehyde - blood; Materia medica, Vegetable; Moringa; Moringa oleifera; Pancreas - pathology; Pancreatic beta cells; Phytotherapy; Plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Leaves; Prevention; pyruvate carboxylase; Pyruvate Carboxylase - genetics; Pyruvate Carboxylase - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rosidae; Triglycerides - blood; diabète; pyruvate carboxylase; diabetes; Moringa
• ISSN: 0829-8211; 1208-6002
• DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2014-0081

Moringa oleifera Lam. contains many active ingredients with nutritional and medicinal values. It is commonly used in folk medicine as an antidiabetic agent. The present study was designed to investigate how an aqueous extract from the leaves of M. oleifera reveals hypoglycemia in diabetic rats. M. oleifera leaf extract counteracted the alloxan-induced diabetic effects in rats as it normalized the elevated serum levels of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, and malondialdehyde, and normalized mRNA expression of the gluconeogenic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase in hepatic tissues. It also increased live body weight gain and normalized the reduced mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase in the liver of diabetic rats. Moreover, it restored the normal histological structure of the liver and pancreas damaged by alloxan in diabetic rats. This study revealed that the aqueous extract of M. oleifera leaves possesses potent hypoglycemic effects through the normalization of elevated hepatic pyruvate carboxylase enzyme and regeneration of damaged hepatocytes and pancreatic β cells via its antioxidant properties.