The Antioxidant Potential and Antihyperlipidemic Activity of Myristica fragrans Seed (Nutmeg) Extract in Diabetic Rats

Background: The present study aimed to assess the phenolic content and in-vitro antioxidant capacity of the petroleum ether extract of nutmeg, as well as its antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic activities in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Forty-eight male rats were allocated into six groups of eight each: non-diabetic control, diabetic control, and diabetic rats receiving 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of the nutmeg petroleum ether extract or 100 mg/kg metformin. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the extract was determined using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. Results: The nutmeg extract contained considerable levels of phenols (112.41 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoids (26.12 mg QE/100 g) and showed a remarkable scavenging effect on the DPPH radicals with the IC50 value of 123.36 𝜇g/ml. The administration of the nutmeg extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) to the diabetic rats caused a significant reduction in the serum levels of malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein, while a significant increase was observed in the total antioxidant capacity and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol serum levels. Conclusion: According to the results, nutmeg extract is an abundant source of natural antioxidants, which might have beneficial effects on patients with diabetes mellitus develop educational packages.