Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

In vivo antidiabetic activity of aqueous extract of Artemisia argyi (Chinese mugwort) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Xinliang Wu¹, Junxue Zhuang¹, Zixia Bai¹, Daliang Guo²

¹Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Baodi Hospital, Baodi Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 301800; ²College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.

For correspondence:- Daliang Guo Email: 13920632603@126.com Tel:+862259596221

Accepted: 15 June 2020 Published: 31 July 2020

Citation: Wu X, Zhuang J, Bai Z, Guo D. In vivo antidiabetic activity of aqueous extract of Artemisia argyi (Chinese mugwort) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2020; 19(7):1487-1493 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v19i7.22

© 2020 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of aqueous leaf extract of Artemisia argyi (Asteraceae) in alloxan (ALX)-induced diabetic rats.

Experimental: Soxhlet apparatus was packed with grinded leaves of A. Argyi and subjected to extraction by double distillation using water as running solvent for 4 – 5 h. Male albino Wistar rats weighing 150 ± 10 g were used in this study. Diabetes was induced in overnight-fasted rats via intraperitoneal administration of freshly prepared 10 % alloxan solution at a dose of 186.9 mg/kg. Serum glucose (Glc), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides (TGs) and total cholesterol (TC) were evaluated using Randox assay kits. Serum reduced glutathione (GSH) was assayed using a slight modification of a previously reproted procedure, while histological examination was carried out microscopically after hematoxylin and eosin staining.

Results: Oral administration of aqueous extract of Artemisia argyi significantly reduced ALX-induced increases in glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose, but significantly increased total protein, hemoglobin, insulin, and C-peptide levels (p < 0.05). Administration of the extract also led to a significant upsurge in non-enzymic antioxidants i.e. ceruloplasmin, GSH, vitamin E and vitamin C. The extract produced a hypolipidemic effect by significantly reducing total cholesterol (TC) and serum TGs. The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the extract were dose-dependent (p < 0.05). Histological examination of the pancreas revealed that the extract protected the integrity of beta cells in ALX-induced diabetic rats.

Conclusion: These results indicate the beneficial effects of Artemisia argyi against diabetes mellitus. Thus, Artemisia argyi may be useful in the management of diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Artemisia argyi, Antidiabetic, Glutathione, Histopathology, Antioxidant